February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
balikbayan February 2013 – March 2013
February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
In This
ISSUE
8
How to Draw Inspiration from Batad. Be inspired by this natural wonder.
10
Heaven Scent to Binondo. Smell the essence of the oldest China Town in the world.
12
BenCab Museum: Best of Both Worlds. A fusion of man and nature’s work of art.
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The Beauty of Nature’s Elements at La Virginia Resort. A convergence of nature’s aesthetic elements.
30 Resorts World Manila: Defining the Integrated Resorts Industry. Experience the country’s premiere one-stop fun destination.
18 28 36
Row, row, row your boat in Paoay Lake. Finding its niche in a water sport. Zero Valentine. No need to spend a lot to celebrate the love day. Of Myths and Resurrections. Bringing back the golden age of comics.
balikbayan February 2013 – March 2013
34 2Go Travel: Where Vacation Starts. Experience the Philippines via domestic cruising.
February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
FEBRUARY AND MARCH
In This
ISSUE
46 Touching Lives, Healing Souls. Meet the country’s healing priest.
Publisher & CEO Roger Lagmay Oriel President & Co-Publisher Cora M. Oriel Vice President for Business Development Raphael John C. Oriel Vice President for Advertising Noel O. Godinez Vice President for Sales Sharon Ann Bathan-San Pedro Vice President for Marketing and Special Events, Philippines Vince F. Samson Jr. Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Lito Ocampo Cruz
50 Restaurateur Non-Pareil: J. Marlo Cruz. A Fil-Am taking pride in Filipino food.
Managing Editor Jane Francis S. Quinabo Associate Editor Stephen Norries A. Padilla Contributing Editors Ruben Nepales, Malou Liwanag-Bledsoe, Prosy dela Cruz, Momar G. Visaya, Cynthia de Castro Contributing Writers Oliver Bayani, Christina M. Oriel, Dennis Noel A. Balangue Contributing Photographers Jilson Seckler Tiu, Resurreccion San Miguel, Stephen Norries Padilla, Joel Liwanag Villamarin, Leandro Medrano, Jeffrey Bunaladi, Noel Godinez, Nicole Marie Alvaro, Ding Carreon, Andy Tecson Graphic Designers James Christer Francisco, Resurreccion San Miguel Multimedia Developers Nicole Marie P. Alvaro, Desiderata M. Pasion Circulation Manager Arthur Sibulangcao Advertising Executive Kimberly T. delos Santos Accountants Victoria C. Fabro, Gemma C. Fabro, Joseph Mark T. Camiring Admin Salve M. Tomines
ON THE COVER: Resorts World Manila graces our cover as a symbol of the Philippines being the premiere one-stop fun destination.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage of retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Asian Journal Publications, Inc., regrets that no responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited material, which will be returned only if stamped, addressed envelope is enclosed. Printed in the Philippines. Distributed in the Philippines for newly arrived balikbayans at Duty Free Philippines, as well at select hotels, resorts, restaurants, and cafes, and major bookstores and magazine distributors. Circulated at special events and through subscription in the United States of America.
balikbayan February 2013 – March 2013
BALIKBAYAN MAGAZINE is published by Asian Journal Publications, Inc. 2/F Units D&E Fort Palm Spring Condominium, 30th Street corner, 1st Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 1200 Philippines Tel. (+632) 856-4921 USA Advertising Offices Los Angeles: 1150 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90017-1904. • Tel. (213) 250–9797 San Francisco: 841 San Bruno Avenue West, Ste. 12-14 San Bruno, CA 94066 • Tel. (650) 583–6818 New York: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • Tel. (212) 655–5426 New Jersey: 535 Newark Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306 • Tel. (201) 484–7249 Las Vegas: 3700 W. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89102 • Tel. (702) 792–6678 WEBSITE www.balikbayanmagazine.com Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/balikbayanmagazine Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/balikbayanmag For subscriptions, email subscriptions@asianjournalinc.com
Publisher’s Note Another year is upon us, and doors of opportunities to further showcase the beauty of the Philippines have opened as Balikbayan Magazine kicks of the year with a bang. We have witnessed the Visayas region explode with colors and vibrant energy as the team took part in the celebrations of Ati-atihan, Sinulog, and Dinagyang festivals. We also joined the parade of devotees of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila. We also drew inspiration from our recent trips to the Batad Rice Terraces, in Banaue, which is also considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a living proof that even before the colonizers from the West reached the Philippine archipelago, we already had a civilized people
with indigenous knowledge in agriculture and engineering, and who paved mountains with their bare hands and the most basic of tools. The team also visited BenCab Museum, the National Artist for Visual Arts Ben Cabrera’s very own abode for his artworks and masterpieces that are truly captivating and inspiring. Here we can see how man and nature work hand in hand to make the most beautiful art. And we are also featuring our new breed of Pinoy comics artists Ian Sta.Maria and Budjette Tan--homegrown talents that are introducing their world-class craft to the international audience. It is indeed a year full of promise. Let us all continue to celebrate the best of the Filipinos. Roger L. Oriel Publisher
February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
TRAVEL DESTINATION
It’s more fun with More options!
TEXT & PHOTOS Dennis Noel Balangue
With Thunderbird Resorts in the Philippines, you have two destination to choose plus more, that makes it more fun. Thunderbird Resorts Rizal in Binangonan and Thunderbird Resorts, Poro Point-La Union. First option is Thunderbird Resorts Rizal, is a good 45 minutes from Ortigas Center, Pasig City, spot for tired urbandwellers. And why not? It is located 210 feet above sea level in a highland valley of the Sierra Made mountain range and overlooks Laguna de Bay. The view is splendid and refreshing, a true feast for the eyes. More, the resort’s location is within the backdrop of Binangonan, Rizal’s natural and historical cultural landmarks. The first-class mountain resort destination has more feasts in store for other body parts. What better way to start than through the stomach? KOI Restaurant is the way to go for both continental and Asian cuisine, with a sumptuous menu that spells celebration for family and friends. For a more laidback feel, the Pool Bar boasts of a barbecue spot and live entertainment on weekend nights. The bar is the perfect place to kick off one’s shoes,
sit back, and enjoy the bliss that follows. On offer is an impressive lineup of drinks and bar chow. The poolside is also the preferred banquet venue for parties, debuts, and weddings. Thunderbird Resorts Rizal has an integrated facilities of 41-deluxe rooms; function rooms, leisure, entertainment venues namely, the KOI Restaurant, the POOL Bar, CABANA Bar, Zapira Spa and Fiesta Casino. The Event Center was launched last year and has since hosted a wide variety of banquets, conferences, and even concerts. In line with Thunderbird Resorts’ mission to create extraordinary experiences for its guests. It can seat 350 to 500 people depending on the preferred lay-out. Another option for an outside venue, or garden wedding, the Molave-Gazebo area is a plus. Men and women of leisure have quickly
balikbayan February December 2013 2012 – March – January 2013 2013
taken to the Cabana Bar at the Fiesta Casino for music , performance and entertainment experience. Elsewhere in Thunderbird Rizal, there is an infinity and outdoor Jacuzzi, and volleyball, billiards and team building area. The staff will even provide assistance for golf course reservations at Eastridge Golf Club, located within the resort. Indeed a class of its own. All this action deserves a good rest, and what a good rest without a proper room? At Thunderbird Resort Rizal, our 50-square foot rooms are equipped with comfortable beds and pillows, in-room spa treatment, mini bar, free Wi-Fi access, cable television, stereo system with DVD player, coffee and tea maker, and IDD/ NDD telephone. Look outside and marvel at the Laguna de Bay in the daytime and the Manila skyline in the evening. With all these world-class facilities in an easy-living setting, Thunderbird Resort Rizal should be the choice for prime travel, business and leisure destinations. It is about time to discover this charming resort. The second option is Thunderbird Resorts, Poro-Point La Union.
Greekinspired villas A picture of relaxation and comfort
The Cliffs Golf
Live the high life up North
Santorini–inspired Thunderbird Resorts, Poro-Point in La Union is a must drive north of Manila. It is one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines and now a wedding destination, currently this December 2012 the resort is booked for 18 weddings! Thunderbird Resorts, nestled on the cliff overlooking the white sand beach and the edge of a headland that dips into the South China Sea, offers a taste of high life and grandeur . A plus is the resort Cliff Golf Club and Fiesta Casino. The Cliffs Golf; a 3,450-yard, par 36, nine-hole golf course designed by the world-renowned International Management Group. It is possibly the only golf course in the Philippines that uses salt water for irrigation and maintenance of its fairways and greens; an effort to help save the environment as the company’s, CSR–TREES (Thunderbird Resorts Efforts on Environmental Sustainability ) The resort boast of 40 rooms and suites which can accommodate 80 to 120 persons, making it an perfect for corporate events/ conference and Weddings, equipped with HD Lcd Tv with home theaters sound sys-
not be complete unless you indulge in calming effect of the ‘Zaphira Spa’ of the resort. The icing on the Thunderbird Resort’s cake is, naturally, its people. Guests have been raving about the smiling, willing-toserve team from the bellmen, front desk agents, Food & Beverage agents, houseA picture of relaxation and comfort keeping attendants tem, pantry with coffee & tea facilities, in to the managers. Indeed a “ class of its room safe, fee Wi-fi, Ipod docking station own”. with speaker and individual veranda. In many aspects in life, travel, holiday To date, additional villas are ready for and long weekend seems to be more about occupancy, now total of four villas, of returning to self these days and its often in three- and four-bedroom configurations. those spaces in between we find ourselves Each villa has its own carport, veranda, planning for our own relaxing time. and fully functioning, sleek designed Imagine how stress can affect not just kitchen. The three bedrooms can accomour work but also in our mind and body. modate six adults all inclusive of daily And to be able to get back to focus in work breakfast. again we have to take some time for ourReserve a table at The Olives, the only selves fine dining restaurant in Ilocos. Its also SPA massage is the best idea for that. the dining place that offers Mediterranean With a little oil, aroma, and pressure put fare, and pride of having the only woodin it, it can help release all pressure and burning pizza oven in the region that stress in all parts that already build up in makes two unique bestsellers: the Pizza your body. Ilocano, a thin-crusted pizza topped with That is why Zaphira Spa in Thunderbird tuna, locally-cured tocino, Vigan longResort gives all reason for you to have that ganiza, onions and cheddar cheese; the one moment in your vacation to unwind, 4-Ways Pizza, two slices of four mouthrelax and feel how life is beautiful, how watering flovors namely, pepperoni and nature contributes to your health. This is bell pepper, goat cheese and artichoke, the time that we need to make well and prosciutto ham and mixed cheeses with the best place to do it is in Zaphira SPA. herbs and basil. More options for dining are Patio SanFor reservations and inquires call Sales torini Bar/Lounge, The Pool Bar, Cabana Department at 886-5555/ 651-6888 or Bar Vegas Cafe. Rest and recreation will visit www.thunderbird-asia.com February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
DESTRAVEL T IN A TION
How to draw inspiration from
Batad
Text By Steno A. Padilla / Photos by Jilson Seckler Tiu
It is difficult not to be an artist in the Cordillera mountains. Sculptors, carvers, weavers, and musicians thrive in this place, and why not? Its intimidating mountains, towering pine trees, and mystical mists are flowing sources of endless inspiration not just for Igorots, but for those who happen to visit the region as well. Needless to say, the best art piece that can be seen here is not one that can be sold in souvenir shops, nor one that can be brought and exhibited in exclusive galleries. It had been made and perfected thousands of years ago, and the succeeding generations have been keeping it intact. That masterpiece is no less than the
balikbayan February 2013 – March 2013
rice terraces of Batad in Banaue, Ifugao Province. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also considered by the locals as the 8th wonder of the world. It is a testament to the Ifugaos’ ingenuity, resourcefulness, engineering, and mathematical genius. Even before formal education came to this side of the planet, prior to the “pacification” of foreign conquerors, and ahead of any established school of arts, here we have a living proof of the early Filipino’s authentic creativity. So for budding artists out there, and even established ones, here are some ways we have collected from our travel to Batad to help you perfect your craft.
Don’t just walk, wander.
Be overwhelmed.
Use pain to your advantage.
Push some more.
It will take you at least two hours before you get to see the Batad rice terraces if you’re from the Banaue town proper. So while trekking, open your chakra gates and let nature’s aura be absorbed by all the senses of your body. You will realize how the mountains can be both fearsome and majestic. Now that’s a pretty strong inspiration for that novel or song you’ve been trying to finish. The long walk up and down the hilly part of the mountain may strain your legs and make you thirst even with the cool weather. Do not complain too much. Stop and relax. Feel the pain slowly dissipating from your aching body part. Now that you’ve realized pain, it’s time to use it in depicting that image in your portrait or in completing that sonnet in your head.
Look at the ampitheater-styled rice terraces. Stare at it for a long, long while. You’ve trekked for quite some time just to see it, after all. Now, let your mind be filled up with questions: How did they create it? How long? What tools did they use? As you get amazed more and more, translate the insights that you’ll be getting into designing that building for your client or plotting that scene in your movie.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
You’ll never get this fresh air in any city in the world, so you better inhale as much oxygen as you can. It will help you to clear your head, bringing in fresh ideas and improving your thinking. It might even help you answer some theoretical questions in your head or solve problems, be it mathematical or personal. Calming your nerves will help you release more creative juices.
If you think seeing the world-famous rice terraces is enough, you’re making a big mistake. Push the limit. Ask your guide to take you to the Ifugao village and to the waterfall. The harder and the longer it takes, the better for you and your craft. This time, use your added experience to develop the character of those individuals in your story, or to enhance the details of your sculpture.
February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
L T RAVETION A N DESTI
n e v a e H t n e c S
Trip to Binondo
A . Padilla Text By Steno Miguel cion San Resurrec PHOTO By
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The thing that makes Binondo truly unique from the rest of its neighboring barangays or villages in Manila, apart from its rich Chinese culture, is its aroma. Walking down Ongpin Street, a cornucopia of odors will greet your nose, and if you have a good sense of smell, it won’t be too difficult for you to pinpoint where a particular scent is coming from. Even without taking a closer look, you’ll know if it’s coming from a vegetable, a fruit, an herb, a dimsum product, a bystander, or whatnot. Starting from the ubiquitous incense found in almost all nooks and crannies of the place, this piece of red or magenta stick is as common as noodles to any Chinatown. Unlike candles that melt and have the tendency to burn your skin, a stick of incense simply glistens and burns to ashes. Its scent is also an added value, giving one a sense of solemnity. There’s even an urban legend about the smell of the incense. Some people say that if you find the odor pleasant, it will bring you good luck, but if you think otherwise, it might mean that there is a bad spirit within you (or that you are the malevolent spirit). Whether or not it is true, the spirit of Binondo is felt even more as you saunter down Masangkay and Benavidez Streets, where street foods and herbal products abound. Not only will your eyes glitter and
your mouth water, your nose will also be treated to a variety of dimsum products, like siomai, shark’s fin, and siopao, or to roasted chicken and maki of all sorts. In Padilla Street, formerly Gandara, there is one eatery that is quite secluded from the other restaurants. Its name delivers much of what it has to offer: Ang Tunay Beef House. It may not be considered fine dining, but its dishes are tasty—with some even betraying its look. Despite the poor plating, its specialty, beef strips in ginger-based soup, is definitely a must-try. You’ll understand what Asian dishes are all about because of its spices. At the same time, you’ll know why it named its place as such. Also lining the streets of Binondo are people with pushcarts selling all kinds of tropical fruits, such as orange, lanzones, dragon fruit, etc. But the most smelly of all fruits available there is the king itself, the durian. If you think this fruit can only be bought in Mindanao or in select groceries in big malls, think again. Just try walking down Ongpin and Salazar Streets and your nose will lead you to where the durians are. But the durian is a given when it comes to strong scents. In Binondo, if you want the real deal, you should go check out their drug stores or any shop that sells herbal products. But to call it ‘herbal’ is really a misnomer. Some products sold in Chinese drug stores do not actually come from
herbs or plants. Most of them do, which is what they are known for, but if you look closely to the items being sold there, you will be surprised to see preserved animal parts, bugs, dried corals, etc. We tried one shop along Benavidez Street. One meter away from the entrance, the strong scent of herbal and animal concoctions penetrated our nostrils right then and there. It was that powerful that even when we walked away from the store, it still lingered in our noses. It was hard to describe the scents as everything there was new to our senses. And even if we did pinpoint which is which, telling others how certain products smelled like would be tantamount to identifying the different stars forming the constellations in the night sky. For non-Binondo folks, this festival of smells and practices might seem a little weird, if not downright bizarre. Well, that only goes to show how little we know of the tradition and culture of one of the world’s oldest existing civilizations. Instead of cringing or callously disowning this tiny section of our nation’s soul, it will not hurt if we can be a bit more sensitive. In this way, we can appreciate and learn more about our Chinese roots. After all, even our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, is of Chinese descent. I wonder what his favorite scent was.
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Feature
BenCab Museum:
Best of Both Worlds
Text By Steno A. Padilla / Photos by Jilson Seckler Tiu
Modernity and antiquity welcome visitors upon stepping into this imposing structure comfortably situated on the misty mountains of the Cordilleras. These two rarely go in tandem; either one has to give way to the other, but that’s not the case with the BenCab Museum. Its minimalist interior design provides a wide room for breathing, or to be more precise, moments that take your breath away. Granary gods, or bulul, of the olden mountain people spirituality gaudily greet guests, as if urging them to leave their biases and prejudices at the doorstep and inviting them to see beyond their customary beliefs. Highly evident in the artist’s collections are indigenous arts and crafts of the Igorot people, such as lime containers, native implements, weapons, and furniture, which are telling signs of the rich artistic history and capacity of these highland dwellers. By placing ancient masterpieces side by side contemporary works of art, one gets to appreciate the new and the old without taking either one for granted. That is an obra maestra in itself!
National Artist Only talented artists, who have honed their craft with years of experience, lasting perseverance and unrelenting whim to test the limit of the arts, can pull off such a kind of trick, if it may even be called as such. It is no wonder then why Benedicto Reyes Cabrera, or BenCab, was conferred the Order of National Artist for Visual Arts by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2006.
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His career spans almost five decades of dedication to the arts, making him a master of contemporary Philippine art. When BenCab built the BenCab Museum, he had not intended to simply make a warehouse for his works or to blow his own trumpet. What he wanted instead was to bring arts closer to the people, especially to Filipinos who are considered to be an artistic
people by nature. He also had the place to house the works of acknowledged Filipino masters and other rising contemporary artists.
Ben 10 Located at Km. 6, Asin Road in Tuba, Benguet, a 15-minute drive from the center of Baguio City, the BenCab Museum
houses 10 areas of multifaceted artistic pursuits. The following areas in the museum are BenCab Gallery, featuring the artist’s own masterpieces; Cordillera Gallery, showcasing tribal artifacts and native crafts; Philippine Contemporary Art Gallery 1 and 2, showing BenCab’s collection of other Filipino artists’ works; and the Maestro Gallery, housing selected works by Aguinaldo, Chabet, Edades, Joya, Legaspi, Luz, Magsaysay-Ho, Sanso, Zobel, etc. Completing the list are Erotica Gallery, containing paintings, drawings, and sculpture with an erotic theme; Print Gallery, highlighting vintage maps, prints, photographs, and postcards on the Philippines; Gallery Indigo, which serves as a venue for changing exhibitions; Patio Salvador, an open terrace used for receptions and sculpture shows; and Larawan Hall, which is used as a function room for art workshops, meetings, seminars, art films showings, and other activities.
Eco Wonder BenCab’s paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture, along with the other masters’ tour de force, may be more than enough to astonish some or to let inspiration spring forth from one’s artistic well, but there is actually more to experience in this not-sohidden gem in northern Philippines.
Just below the BenCab Museum are a farm and a garden where the artist, alongside native co-workers, grows herbs, strawberries, sweet potatoes, coffee, ornamentals, and seasonal vegetables. This site also showcases the archetypal indigenous architecture of the Ifugao, Kalinga, and Bontoc. Naturally accentuating the place is a river that snakes through the property, with cascading waterfalls on one end. The museum and the farm also source fresh spring water from the hill and mini forest just across, which also features an eco-trail wherein nature lovers can meander through. Completing the homestead feel is an aviary sheltering peacocks and livestock like ducks, geese, and turkeys among others.
Commitment When sometimes shrouded by a blanket of mist, the BenCab Museum becomes a mystical retreat perfect for personal reflections or discernment, for soulsearching, or for simply being one with nature. To put it succinctly, this place is a fusion of nature and art. And as an expression of BenCab’s gratitude to the country that nurtured and inspired his career that continues to grow, mature, and fascinate, the BenCab Museum commits itself “to the promotion of the arts, and the
Photos by Jilson Seckler Tiu and Resurreccion San Miguel.
preservation, conservation, and protection of the environment, as well as the culture and traditions of the Cordilleras.” The museum is open daily except Mondays, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, 9a.m. to 6p.m. Admission is P100, but students and senior citizens may get a 20-percent discount, provided that they show a valid I.D. Special rates are also available for student groups with prior arrangement. To get to the BenCab Museum, you can take the jeepney to Asin from the terminal near Baguio market.
For more information: you may call (+63 74) 442.7165, email bencabartfoundation@gmail.com, or visit www.bencabmuseum.org
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Popping the question. It’s more fun in the Philippines.
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itsmorefuninthephilippines.com facebook.com/itsmorefuninthephilippines February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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T RAVEL ON I DESTINAT
Beauty La Virginia
The
of Nature’s Elements at
It is the pull of gravity that gets us all grounded to earth, but it is the same force that makes a natural getaway in southern Luzon the next best thing to paradise. Set on the hilly side of Batangas, La Virginia Hotel and Resort is an 8-hectare secluded ground that is surrounded by lush coconut trees, a mountain, and a famous lake. The entire property rests on an uphill forest that makes walking a bit of a challenge. But the rustic structures and sometimes ethnic architecture around make the traipse feel like a stride. Add to that the majestic view of the Taal Lake and one gets the sensation of being drawn into Mother Nature’s warm and loving bosom. The blue water of this lake tags perfectly with the blue sky which is, most of the time, accentuated by cumulus clouds. Tilting your perspective a bit to the right provides you with the most verdant scene in this place. Crawling up the sun-kissed hill are a thousand-strong coconut groves and other native trees. Staring at it makes you think, “How come we never get to have this much green in the city?” Then reality hits you and you realize that there are beautiful things better left in the care of the country’s provinces. Across the hotel and resort is La Virginia Resto Bar, where the imposing Mount Makulot stands like a diligent guard protecting the place from natural hazards. Its relaxing view is a stark contrast to the frivolous and lively atmosphere emitted by happy people who are having the time of their lives inside the open-air bar. Text & Photos By Steno A. Padilla
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The mountain and the lake do not only provide for an exhilarating scene, but also deliver a refreshing breeze that is scarce, or non-existent, in the city. Because of this, picnics, reunions and other social events become more exciting, especially for city folks. La Virginia is not only a natural haven. The resort caters to small and big events, and boasts of seven world-class swimming pools, like the Frog Kiddie Pool, Dolphin Kiddie Pool, Fruity Pool, and Infinity Pool among others. Apart from the hotel, guests can choose to stay in other accommodations, such as the Pagoda House, Ifugao Houses, Lalen Guest House, Bebeng Guest House, Bamboo House, Twin Guest Room, Top Room, Cabana Huts, Octagon, and Casas de Flores. For corporate and social events, La Virginia offers the following venues: club house, hotel function hall, convention hall, and a multi-purpose hall or covered court. It also has a restaurant and a chapel. A tree house is also open for those who want to have picnics while getting a 360-degree view of the entire resort. To reach La Virginia, take the South Luzon Expressway all the way to Batangas Exit. Use the national highway to go to the Star Tollway. Take the Lipa Exit, and head to Barangay Manggahan, Mataas na Kahoy where the resort is located.
For inquiries and reservation, Visit www.lavirginiaresort.com, Email lavirginiaresort@yahoo.com, Call 0916.375.7457 • 0923.717.3637. February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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Row, row, row your boat in
Paoay Lake text & PHOTOS By Steno A. Padilla
The beautiful Paoay Lake in Ilocos Norte became alive once again and brought back childhood memories of Ilokanos as it became the venue for the first ever International Paoay Regatta held in January. Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos was pleased to host the event in the province for the first time, which is also dubbed as the 71st ARAE-FEARA International Regatta. She said the occasion could serve as a springboard for sports tourism in the province, expressing hope that more and more similar events be held here in the future. “This is a big event for us because Paoay Lake is largely undiscovered,” Marcos said. “It’s a legendary lake… We’re delighted that the event brought life back into the lake. We’re hoping that this becomes a premiere rowing destination in the country.” Still the same Quintin Pastrana, MBC president and secretary general of the Philippine Rowing Association, said that the lake was perfect for the event as it is calm, clean, and placid. “Paoay Lake is the same as [it was] 30 years ago,” Pastrana said, adding that he rediscovered the place when he happened to drive by Ilocos Norte last year. He also thanked the local government for the tremendous support and for helping to usher in the “renaissance in Philippine rowing.” Pastrana is hopeful that more Filipino rowers will
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get to appreciate the sport and participate in future competitions or events. Showing the rest of the world that they are still a force to reckon with, the country’s premier rowers outdid other countries in the Super Masters Championship. Manila Boat Club (MBC) bested Lake Club and Bengal in two races in the Super Masters—the men’s doubles and the mixed doubles sculls for a perfect score of 20 points. But it was Bengal that took home the VC Bath International Trophy as it edged MBC by only one point. Bengal had an overall score of 22 points after finishing first in the doubles and third both in the fours and singles. Indian champs Indian teams proved their mettle as they remain one of the best rowers in the world after competing strongly along with hundreds of participants from six countries in the three-day event. CME Rowers Club from Pune, India, won the highly-coveted Hooghly Cup with 23 points, edging another Indian team from Madras Boat Club with 21 points. Lake Club Kolta ranked third for 20 points. Other runner-up winners were Colombo Rowing Club (16), Karachi Boat Club (12), and first-timers Easter Rowing Club of Singapore (8). In the women’s division, or Adyar Cup, Madras finally redeemed itself with its 28-point finish, ripping CME (23) and Karachi from Pakistan (18), which ended second and third, respectively. Madras was also impressive in the coxed fours and the doubles, which helped the team to gather more points in its title bid for the Adyar Cup. But they were not so lucky in the men’s division. Although Madras topped the coxed fours with a total score of 12 points, it was not enough after they finished tied for third only in the men’s doubles with Lake Club. The CME rowers reigned supreme in the men’s doubles sculls and won the silver in the coxless pairs, collecting 23 points all in all.
The Legend of
e k a L y a o Pa
A beautiful village sat on top of a verdant, tropical land. The people living there were poor, but they were hard-working, simple, and godfearing. After years of hard work and of faith to God, the village prospered and its inhabitants became rich. The people built big houses, extravagant clothing, jewels, and everything that their money could buy. Pride took away their faith, but not their diligence. They worked hard to rival each other’s possessions. As they acquired more wealth, they soon forgot worship and give thanks to God. While the rest of the village became consumed by riches, an old couple remained simple and faithful. One night, the couple saw an apparition, and told them that the village will be destroyed by a flood. The couple told their neighbors about the apparition. They asked them to revert to their old, simple ways to be spared from the flood, but the villages did not believe and laughed at the old couple. That night, the couple was told by a voice to leave the village so they could be saved, instructing them to go as far as they can without looking back. The next morning, the couple prepared early and left the village. While on their way, thunders roared, and the village was soon consumed by floodwaters. The villagers were heard shrieking and crying, unconsciously prompting the old woman to look back. As soon as she turned her head, she fainted. Her husband tried to drag her, but they both turned to stone. The village disappeared in the flood. Years passed, a beautiful lake appeared at the exact place where the village sank. This became the famous Paoay Lake.
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Feast of Black Nazarene Photos by Jilson Seckler Tiu
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Quiapo, Manila
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SINULOG FESTIVAL Photos by Leandro Medrano
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February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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DINAGYANG FESTIVAL Photos by Joel Liwanag Villamarin
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EL T RAVATION N I DEST
Zero Valentine By Steno A. Padilla
ros Intramu
ory lane with If you want a trip down mem straight to d hea your loved one, then the Manila oss acr just is ch whi ros, Intramu -wheeled (two sa cale City Hall. Taking the t you a bit, cos ht mig e) riag car n raw horse-d k while being so why not take a leisurely wal ld. See old wor old the by ized mesmer ’t forget to don and s, churches and building es. ston bled cob of e mad ds roa walk on surroundings, To better appreciate the . If he’s not you with n have Carlos Celdra imagine and ls wal the to go ply sim le, availab s and non can old of the past with the help If you still l. civi rdia gua the by d use posts t Santiago to have time to spare, there’s For ine history. ipp Phil with e dat r you e complet
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balikbayan February 2013 – March 2013
V
alentine’s Day is all about love. Whether romantic, friendly or filial, love always involves a deep sense of affection, a longing to be with the person that you love, and a sincere care for one another. Every single day of the year is a moment to express this emotion, but 2-14 makes it more special. However, this love day should not be always too commercialized. There are many creative ways to show your love to someone, and there are places where you can have a date without spending too much, or without spending a penny at all. Here are some of the places where we think lovers, friends, and families can have a blast this Valentine’s Day.
Rizal
Park A st one’s the thro s natio ite whe w away beco nal hero re Jose from In , rich me a p was sho Rizal, th tramuros a the i or poor, rk that t in 1896 e count is m w . wide posing local or elcome Now, it ry’s h picn , open s monume foreign. s everyo as ic or pace n nt of A e, s i de play s like k where Rizal, th from Ther e y i o r ds o e nce u can h e are relax are gar agai ave d , e n a w n . ater s aro a kid u hear die park shows t nd that h t w whe , and a for the at sure ill help re yo y l y y h o u of th u ca ge ma ung an enterta ou Luzo e count n learn a p of the d young in, r visit n, Visaya y and f bout the Philippi at a n any time s, and M mous la geogra es . phy inda n d m nao that arks in you can
Baywalk Picture this: The wind blows on your back and the setting sun is upon your face. You hold hands with your one true love, and both of you feel that the “winds of destiny” can “carry you aloft to dance with the stars.” Provided that monsoons are on vacation and there’s a clear sky, that’s basically what you get every time that you go to Manila’s Baywalk. The world-famous sunset is the perfect backdrop for anyone who’s in love. The experience is simply magical, leaving you and your special someone with a strong emotion that fires up the romantics in us all. And the best part about this? It’s free and will remain so forever.
nken U.P. Su en Gard
ircle
sC Burgo
o ter in Bonifaci rbes Town Cen land may not Fo at d te ca Lo of is small piece t Global City, th the Quezon City Circle, bu t as si d to an t gr an w as ho be for those w ot sp ct ze rfe ee br pe it’s the , feel the watch people eciate public on the grass, pr ap d an , face brushing your art. is a steel of this circle er nt ce Reynato e th by t A “The Trees” d lle ca e ur sculpt read what’s on s. Take time to stroll around Paz Contrera to nd take time t the marker. A u see a dog-walker, gree yo If the t pe to the place. et rg and don’t fo y and gay in him or her, friendl s em se ne ing here will dog. Everyo etropolis. Dat m e th of rt this pa ht and easy. definitely be lig
the country’s ek of February, gether at the we nd co se e th to Every year, on in the music industry come nes in Diliman, biggest names in the University of the Philippids to everyone Sunken Gardenbring pure fun and good soun enter the Fair Quezon City to For a minimal fee, you can es, and many in the campus. joy the performers, booths, rid Grounds and en more. entirely by g to be occupiedlly fine. After bi o to is n de ar ta G But the Sunken u choose not to enter, that’s to riphery of the the U.P Fair. If yo enjoy the music from the pe s, stare at the lie on the gras anything that all, you can still with your date, of venue. Go therears in the heaven, and dream st g in in sh ht brig you want. h not on how muc good date lies joyed it and, of a of re su ea m After all, the t, but on how much you en you have spen t experience that came with it. course, the grea
February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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Resorts World Manila Defining The Integrated Resorts Industry
INTEGRATE – transitive verb; meaning “to form, coordinate, blend into a functioning or unified whole”. That, according to Merriam-Webster.com, which also tells us that a ‘resort’ (noun), is “a frequently visited place providing recreation and entertainment especially to vacationers”. Given that, a ‘true’ integrated resort should be a definitive place of leisure and relaxation, catering to varying lifestyles and ages, with unparalleled amenities and attractions that opens up new and thrilling wonders for its guests. Safe to say that in the Philippines, Resorts World Manila succeeds in making itself the premier integrated resort that gives verity to the very term. Let’s dissect both premise and conclusion if we must. Since its inception in 2009, Resorts World Manila has blended a functioning property of three hotels; a line of signature and merchant restaurants; an upscale mall with stateof-the-art cinemas, wellness centers, and a family amusement complex; the most modern and grandest theatrical venue; and the biggest gaming floor in the country. 30
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And while most people would euphemistically limit an integrated resort as a haven for jetsetters and high rollers, Resorts World Manila caters to whole families. Be they toddlers who can play for hours with their parents at GameZoo amusement complex, or ‘twentysomethings’ looking to have a fun night and memorable shopping experience at the Newport Malls, or grandparents who long to recall the romances of their youth by catching the current staging of ‘The King And I’ at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila is a family getaway that has proven time and again that it offers thrills unlike any other.
GLOBAL NETWORK OF LUXURY EXPERTS A project seen to revitalize the enthusiasm and efforts in the country’s hospitality and tourism industries, Resorts World Manila is a significant addition to the growing Resorts World franchise, whose brand is synonymous to world-class entertainment and lifestyle attractions. It is the landbased tourism development from the Alliance Global Group, Inc., and Genting Hong Kong Ltd. conglomerate.
The Alliance Global Group, Inc., is one of the largest companies delving into the food and beverage, real estate, and quick service restaurant industries in the country, while Genting Hong Kong Ltd. Is a leading global leisure, entertainment and hospitality enterprise, operating large-scale luxury liners such as Star Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line. The Genting Group of Companies is also behind the thriving Resorts World brand worldwide, namely Resorts World Genting in Malaysia, Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, and Resorts World New York City in the United States. With such a vast global network of trusted brands and maven industrialists, Resorts World Manila has stamped itself in not only the country’s tourism map, but in that of the world’s as well. By offering such world-class amenities, entertainment, events, and lifestyle options-- all which are at par, if not more unique than what the rest of the world has to offer. Resorts World Manila’s synonymity to being a true integrated resort also translates in how its lifestyle membership rewards are honored in wherever network of The Genting Group, Star Cruises, or Resorts World
brands you make a stop in the world. That means your Resorts World Manila lifestyle points are honored when you take a luxury Star Cruises or a Norwegian Cruise Lines voyage, or discover the other unique offerings of Resorts World Sentosa, or at Resorts World Genting, or‌ well, you get the integrated picture.
THRILLING LIKE NO OTHER Opening on August 28, 2009, the one-stop, nonstop destination for world-class entertainment and ultimate thrills, broke away from the conventional to deliver only top-of-the-line excellence to its growing number of visitors. Resorts World Manila has definitely helped catapult Philippine tourism to greater heights with the influx of tourists in the country since its inception. Safe, convenient, and welcoming to all types of guests and preferences, Resorts World Manila continuous to be a game-changer in the tourism and hospitality industry.
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From its first year, more and more visitors in the country and from all over the world have flocked to experience the attractions it can offer. By its full operation in 2010, a tourism report conveyed a 6.64% growth in arrivals in the country, with 437,170 tourists flocking Manila, and attributing the rise to the opening of Resorts World Manila, along with other hotspots such as the Manila Ocean Park, as well as the arrival of visiting cruise ships at the Manila Harbor. This rise continues to flourish up until the present, wherein the total visitor arrivals in the country for 2011 increased by 11.28% to 3.917 million from the previous year, and further increased 4.2 million visitors by the end of 2012 translating into 9.07% increase from the previous year. It is the first time, according to the Department of Tourism, that the Philippines passed the 4 millionth arrivals.
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Such growing global interest can be attributed somehow to the many noteworthy attractions and exclusives the integrated hub has introduced in the market. The Grand Fiesta celebrations champions all the best that Filipinos can offer the world by showcasing the longest and grandest holiday fiesta in the world. The annual Majestic Anniversary gives VIP treatment to guests who join in the integrated hub’s anniversary celebrations. The Lunar New Year festivals offer guests the treasures, prosperity, and oriental festivities of China. These are but some of the many exceptional fetes Resorts World Manila offer its guests throughout the year. Add to this the string of successful theatre offerings such as ‘KAOS’, ‘The Sound Of Music’, and ‘The King And I’ that make Resorts World Manila
the closest Asians can get a taste of Broadway or West-End productions. Featuring a slew of globally-acclaimed Filipino thespians, the likes of Leo Tavarro Valdez, Monique Wilson, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Nonie Buencamino, Joanna Ampil, Audie Gemora, and many others who enliven the grandiose stage of the Newport Performing Arts Theater with largescale productions of timeless theatre classics and contemporary performing arts, Resorts World Manila not only serves to entertain audiences, but has also helped significantly in the revival of theatre arts culture in the country and in Asia.
A WORLD WONDER
The New York Times recently ranked the Philippines as its number 17th place to visit around the world this 2013. Of course among the many places to
see are the natural glory of secluded, white sand beaches and pristine reefs all over the Philippines’ 7,100 islands. But when in Manila, Resorts World Manila serves as the logical jumpoff point for tourists who wish to visit the many hotspot locations in the provinces, as it is conveniently located in the periphery of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminals. The favor for Resorts World Manila among both tourists and Filipinos alike is equally evident in the consistent increase in foot traffic statistics it has achieved annually. With the thriving annual visitor count, the mix-use establishment continues to break ground with more expansion projects and more phenomenal drawing power for guests this 2013. So established is Resorts World Manila’s mark in the Asian tourism,
that more powerhouse global industry leaders such as Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels and Resorts, Pte. Ltd., and Hilton Worldwide have partnered with Resorts World Manila, and are now in the works to set up shop in the growing property giant. Running on its fourth year in operation, Resorts World Manila is up for more expansions to cater its guests with the most superb amenities and offerings this side of the Asian region can muster. This, to maintain its position as the only tourism destination that offers a gamut of world-class entertainment, food, leisure, and lifestyle alternatives all in one grand luxury venue. Quite definitively, nothing compares to this true to life, global integrated resort.
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2
: l e v a GO Tr
Where Vacation Starts By Jane Francis S. Quinabo
Gone are the days of long hours at the airport where you wait for your boarding time only to find out that it’s delayed. The time is up for waiting in long queues for a bus ticket because the company does not accept reservations. Forget about spending the first day of your much awaited vacation in a cramped seat and with not much to do except wait until you reach your destination. 2Go Travel, a superbrand resulting from the merger of Negros Navigation Inc. and Aboitiz Transport System, is a unified passenger brand that offers comfortable travel to and from several destinations in the country. What’s better is that, once you set foot in the ship, your vacation begins. 2Go Travel offers a variety of accommodations that guests can use during their stay onboard. These accommodations vary per vessel, but everything is guaranteed to suit the needs of its guests. The Stateroom consist of luxury air-conditioned rooms with either a family bed or two full-size beds. It has its own private bathroom and television; linen and basic toiletries are also provided. Cabin Rooms are private rooms with a bathroom and two-channel television. Bed amenities could be single beds, a double bed, or four bunk beds. Then there’s a Tourist Class accommodation, composed of double bed bunks enclosed in a semiprivate partition. It can include four to 14 guests, depending on the number of occupants. Mega Value accommodations have double bed bunks in an air-conditioned area of the vessel. The most affordable
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offering is the Super Value, a budgetclass accommodation that offers double bed bunks in the non-air-conditioned area of the ship. The Tourist Class, Mega Value, and Super Value accommodations have shared bathrooms, with linens made available for an affordable price. The facilities of 2Go Travel is also top of the class. Dining areas are both chick and modern, which also doubles as entertainment venues for guests during their meals. Some vessels also have a ballroom that is retrofitted to become a disco or a large meeting area that is equipped with state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. You can also find a convenience store, a spa and salon, a medical clinic, and a chapel within the ship premises. At 2Go Travel, guests get more than what they pay for by offering a new way to arrive at your destination. Be it Bacolod, Butuan, Cebu, Caticlan (where Boracay is just five minutes away), Batangas, Calapan in Mindoro, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Dipolog, General Santos, Iloilo, Iligan, Ozamiz, Surigao, Tagbilaran in Bohol, Zamboanga, Davao, or Ormoc, all 2Go Travel vessels promises a oneof-a-kind experience that only domestic cruising can provide. Being a traveling generation, 2Go Travel sells the experience to adventurers and explorers of all ages. It’s not a substitute to the conventional ways of travel, but a new way to begin a vacation and to see the country in a very affordable and comfortable way. Create memories onboard with family and friends, enjoy the feel of the sea breeze with your lover, and just live life the way you want. 2Go Travel is not just a ship—it’s an adventure waiting to be experienced.
For more information about 2Go Travel, you can visit their website at www.2go.com.ph
February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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Feature
Of Myths&
Resurrections
By Nickee de Leon-Huld AJPress
Budjette Tan and Ian Sta. Maria on Trese, Skyworld and the revival of the PH comic book industry
T
ruth be told, I am no comic book fanatic (not in the fangirl sense, anyway). I did spend a considerable part of my youth reading Archie, Funny Komiks, Pugad Baboy and the comics section of just about every broadsheet; I also have Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and Neverwhere, a couple of Ranma 1/2’s and some Pugad Baboys sitting on my bookshelf. However, years spent mingling with comic book aficionados in the UP College of Fine Arts has made it unavoidable to imbibe the culture. In retrospect, conversations among these graphic novel enthusiasts would’ve made Sheldon Cooper look like an amateur. And apart from this immersion, I was also taking classes with (who would turn out to be) masters of comic illustration: Elmer Damaso (Culture Crash Comics), Leinil Yu (Marvel Comics) and Ian Sta. Maria (Alamat Comics), to name a few. Perhaps it’s my fascination for comic art that has somewhat made me an honorary member of the club. For the life of me, I can never quite illustrate as effortlessly and as impeccably, as these guys could.
Komikspeak I was introduced to the inner workings of Budjette Tan and Ian Sta. Maria’s minds during my formative years in advertising. Budjette was a senior copywriter at the time, while Ian and I were junior art directors in Harrison Communications. Currently, Budjette is Deputy Executive Creative Director of MRM (McCann Worldgroup’s digital division), while Ian is now a creative director in BBDO-Guerrero. Both are into comic books at a fanboy level, and even though I never really had a téte-a-téte on the topic with them, it was part and parcel of the usual buzz in the workplace -- the sort of geekspeak you encounter on a day-to-day. More than a decade later, I’ve managed to stay in touch with these well-respected komikeros. They are now successful comic book creators themselves -- Budjette writes for the Trese series (co-created with and illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo), while Ian illustrates for Skyworld (which he co-created with Mervin Ignacio). Both Trese and Skyworld are in National Bookstore’s Bestsellers list. Recently, Trese 4: Last Seen After Midnight was awarded Best Graphic Literature for 2011 in the annual National Book Awards in the Philippines.
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Prior to this recognition, Trese 3: Mass Murders also won the same award in 2010.
Gerry Alanguilan, renowned comic book artist and award-winning creator of Elmer had this to say about Trese: “Trese continues to impress and surprise, daring to go where no Filipino comic book dare to go.” After Trese 4 emerged in National Bookstore’s Bestsellers list, Budjette received an email from Neil Gaiman: “So ridiculously proud of you! When I came out all those years ago for the first time, that was what I wanted to see happen... I feel like you and all the smart Filipino writers and artists out there are doing something really brave and powerful, making a whole new wave of Filipino art and story. Well done!”
Trese and Skyworld
Trese creators, (from left) Kajo Baldissimo and Budjette Tan receive the National Book Award in Best Graphic Literature for Trese 4: Last Seen After Midnight
Via an email interview, I asked Budjette and Ian to explain the ideas behind Trese and Skyworld. Both are from Alamat Comics (where Budjette is founding editor.) “Trese is an urban fantasy that takes all the monsters and creatures from Philippine myth and folklore and sets them in the modern-city of Manila. So, you’ve got a gang of manananggal running a kidnapping ring in Quiapo; you’ve got tikbalang drag-racing down C-5, and aswangs are the most notorious hitmen in the city. When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese. She uses magic to solve crimes committed by these supernatural creatures,” Budjette responded. “Skyworld reveals to us the secret history of the Philippines and shows us how tikbalang and engkanto helped LapuLapu defend Mactan and how Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio teamed-up to fight the Queen of Aswang. In that backdrop, we follow Makabo, the Prince of Tikbalang, as he spends over 500 years hunting down the Queen of Aswang. The story also focuses on Andoy, a street urchin who turns out to be part of the Maharlika bloodline that dates back to the time
Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldissimo
of Lapu-Lapu,” he further elaborated. In a nutshell, Ian described Skyworld as the local version of the X-Files. “Skyworld is kind of a mix between all the action adventure films that I loved,” he quipped.
Thought balloons Balikbayan Magazine (BM): When did you start taking an interest in creating comic books? What/ who were your influences/source of inspiration?
Budjette Tan (BT): When I was a kid, my parents would just bring home comic books once in a while. So, there were always comic books lying around the house. It was in grade school when I met other comic book collectors. We’d sketch out costume designs and make secret origins for our own heroes. Those were the beginning of wanting to write comic book stories. Back in the 80s, I was a big X-Men fan and Chris Claremont fan. I loved the work of John Byrne and George Perez and Marv Wolfman. It was in the 80s when I discovered Frank Miller’s Daredevil, Elektra, and Ronin, which made me pick up his Dark Knight Returns. Of course, Alan Moore’s Watchmen was the big eye-opener for me, on what can be done with the comic book medium. In college, that’s when I discovered the works of Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison. In the late 90s, that’s when I became a fan of the works of Warren Ellis. These are the guys that heavily influenced my comic book writing. And I just have to mention that it was in the 90s, when we discovered that Whilce Portacio was Pinoy. To know that a Pinoy was drawing the X-Men was a big source of inspiration for us, made us realize that it is possible to get into Marvel Comics. Ian Sta. Maria (ISM): Grade school. A Batman comic book with the art of Norm Breyfogle made me want to draw comics.
BM: When you write/illustrate comic books, do you come from an entirely different place, or would you say that working in advertising influences the kind of ideation/work that you do?
BT: I think that my work in the ad agency has made me a better storyteller. Writing a 30second TV commercial is like writing a 4-page comic book story. It made me learn to tell a story better, without the fluff, to keep to the narration, but still be able to give it heart. When given an Advertising Brief, the challenge is always, how to sell this old product in a new and exciting way. That’s how I approach a comic book story. “I want to write about a story featuring star-crossed lovers. How do I make this new and interesting? Maybe I’ll make them vampires and werewolves!” ISM: Working with advertising helps with comics and vice versa. But more often than not it’s comics that work as a stress reliever.
BM: How do you go about the process of creating new stories and conceptualizing illustrations for Trese and Skyworld?
BT: I usually take what is a common known story/urban legend/folklore and see what would happen I make Trese try to solve that mystery. So, it’s taking those old tales and [seeing] how they’d fit in a modern setting. For example, the old folktales say, if you can find a tikbalang, wrestle it to the ground and get a hair from its mane, you can tame it and command it. But in a modern setting, instead of wrestling the tikbalang in the forest, I set the story along C-5, where you have to defeat the tikbalang in a drag race. ISM: Tsamba ang Skyworld eh...Originally I just wanted to draw a tikbalang with a sword. Mervin Ignacio and I just threw plotlines around during our inuman sessions. Also, we wanted to showcase the very rich mythology that we have as Filipinos. We just thought everyone was doing too much spandex and superhero-types. So we went the other route, [taking] magic and mythology. February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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BM: Any entirely new projects brewing?
BT: Trese Book 6! ISM: [I’m] now in the middle of finishing two other titles with Russell Molina and David Hontiveros. Plus planning for a Skyworld sequel has started.
BM: Would you say that social media plays a crucial role in your work? If so, how does it play an important role? BT: It’s the best and cheapest way of reaching thousands of readers. ISM: Social media helps spread the word. It helped A LOT! We had friends of friends of friends sharing our posts! So lakas tsamba!
BM: What can you say about prominent Filipino comic book artists in the mainstream? How do they inspire you to create your own? BT: Every time I hear about a Pinoy who’s doing work for Marvel or DC or any other foreign company, it inspires me to keep doing what I’m doing, and hope that my works will someday reach an international audience. ISM: I’m always proud to see other Filipino artists or writers, who work with big names like Marvel and DC, get international acclaim. At the end of the day, that is the dream -- to make a living out of a hobby.
BM: Who are your favorite Pinoy and nonPinoy comic book writers and artists in the mainstream and why? Mark Millar and Ian Sta. Maria
BT: Here’s the reason why they’re my favorites: they are great at their craft. They are great artist, writers, storytellers. They surprise me and blow me away with the visuals they make, and the stories they tell. That’s why I like them and look up to them. [My favorite Pinoy comic book writers and artists include] Gerry Alanguilan, David Hontiveros, Manix Abrera, Mervin Ignacio, Ian Sta. Maria, Paolo Fabregas, Kajo Baldisimo and Carlo Vergara. [Non-Pinoy faves include] Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, Scott Snyder, Grant Morrison and Alan Moore. ISM: Mine’s all Pinoy: Leinil Yu, Gerry Alanguilan and of course, Whilce Portacio. They really made an impact in the mainstream! Talagang sumikat sila!
‘Skyworld’ creators, Mervin Ignacio and Ian Sta. Maria Photos courtesy of Ian Sta.
Skyworld 3 Prodigal Poster3 by iantoy
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Steampunk Makabo Art by Ian Sta. Maria
v
BM: Any plans of breaking into the mainstream in the future?
BT: That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the past 20 years. Maybe 2013 will be the year! ISM: We’ll see... but in the meantime the local scene is not bad at all.
BM: How would you describe the comic industry in the Philippines now, compared to what it was in the past? BT: We had a golden age of komiks back in the 50s and 60s, and maybe all the way up the 70s. Back then, komiks sold in the hundred of thousands, out selling newspapers. Back then komiks stories were the basis of the next Pinoy movie or TV series. Komiks started to lose readership in the 90s and were almost gone in the 2000s. It was in the 90s when a new generation of comic book creators started to come out. This generation grew up reading Marvel Comics and Funny Komiks. In the 2000s, a generation of comic book creators emerged and they were influenced by manga and anime. It was this new generation that started to release self-published comics and to organize events like Komikon. Today, we have an active and supportive comic book community. We have publishers like Visprint, National Bookstore, Summit Media, Precious Pages and Psicom, who are publishing graphic novels. This is what is needed to make the Filipino comic book industry boom once more. Right now, a “best-selling” graphic novel like Skyworld would be selling in the thousands. So, if we keep this going, I hope that our local comics will start selling in the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands. Add to this the option of digital distribution, then the opportunity for local work to be read by an international audience, by millions of people, is even more possible. ISM: BIG CHANGE! Social media helped a whole damn lot. Because of exposure [to] the internet, more and more younger people are creating local comic books and supporting them. The industry grew from little exhibits in Galleria Ortigas or UP Fine Arts in Diliman, to giant conventions at the Bayanihan Center, SM Mall of Asia and Megamall. Now, it’s easier to spread the word around and get people and publishers interested.
BM: For Ian: Nowadays, technology plays a crucial role in creating visually-arresting comic book illustrations. How do you combine old school techniques with new technology in making your illustrations?
ISM: Well, I think technology is really just a tool. Nothing beats the basics, but in terms of tight deadlines and turnarounds, Adobe Tools come in really handy. But they are JUST tools. Anyone with the right skill can create visually stunning images, using anything from [crayons], to paint, to Photoshop. Learning the basics is the best. I always sketch straight [to] my computer. It saves on scanning and paper, and I just got used to it since I bring my laptop anywhere. So I guess that’s where traditional meets hi-tech. It’s the artist presenting his work, using these new tools. So whatever I learned from Fine Arts and Whilce Portacio in drawing traditionally, I put to good use using a pen tab, instead of paper.
BM: For Budjette: Would you say that writing for comic books has evolved in leaps and bounds for the past 10 years? If yes, how so?
BT: Writing a comic book is no different from writing a script for a TVC or an RC. The basics of it are the same. The limitations are the same. So, the basic storytelling structure is the same. 99.99 percent of the comic books out there still tell a story the same way. You divide the page with boxes (called “panels”). Each panel shows a scene, an action and the next panel will show you what happens next. And this keeps on repeating until you are able to tell a whole story. There is the 1 percent that uses this structure in a more creative manner. For example, Alan Moore wrote a story about people living in an apartment building. Each comic book page was divided into four horizontal panels. Each panel showed what was happening on that particular floor of the building. Each panel was happening in a different decade. So, the top floor was happening in the 1950s. The next floor was set in the 1960s. The third floor was set in the 1970s. And the fourth floor was in the 1980s. So, if he showed a baby in the window on the top floor. On the ground floor, you’d see the baby already in his 30s. Like I said, the comic book is still told using panels and pages. The experimental use of panels and pages dates back as far as the 1950s. But most writers still opt to just tell their story in a linear manner. I guess writing for comic book will change, the more we start to play around with telling stories through digital comics. Reading a comic book on an iPad allows the writer to play “movie director,” -- meaning, he can play around with the flow of the story. For example, when you read a typical comic book, you open a page and immediately see the pictures and the words. Mark Waid started to experiment with that and since the story is being told on an iPad, the next page/next scene will only come out when you click or tap the iPad. So, here is what Waid did: when you read the story, you first see the image/opening scene. When you tap the screen, it will zoom into one of the characters. When you tap again, that’s when the words come out and you finally read what the character is saying. But, it’s still being told using panels and pages. It still means, a writer starts with a pen and paper and he’ll start by writing down: It was a dark and stormy night. We see our hero arrive to save the day.
Kadasig February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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Alive and kicking After waning in the early 90’s, the comic book industry in the Philippines is back with a vengeance. In his Inquirer.net article, “Who says Pinoy ‘komiks’ are dead?” Gerry Alanguilan says it was through the perseverance and ingenuity of young comic book fans that the industry managed to survive and thrive once more. “Without any venues to showcase their work, talented young comic book fans started creating their own comic books. They photocopied the page, stapled them together, and sold the comics themselves. Some even went further by actually going to the printing press and have multiple copies printed.” “Where did they get the money? Most likely some of them had jobs, some of them probably saved up for it, and some probably borrowed money from their parents. Whatever the case, what resulted was the birth of a unique Filipino independent comics industry driven by young people who created, distributed and sold their own comic books,” Gerry wrote. The Philippines now has its own version of the Comic-Con: The Pinoy “Komikon,” which is held bi-annually -- during the summer and at the end of the year. “That the growth of Komikon and that of the independent comics industry go hand in hand is worth considering. Most of these creators
Budjette, Kajo and Nida Budjette with wife Wella and The Kambal
create, sell and distribute their own comics. With no huge distribution arm at their disposal, they sell their comics at every place they are capable of reaching.” “They can sell at the various comic book stores across Manila, including Comic Odyssey, which has always been supportive of local comics, and of course, they take full advantage of the local comic book conventions, wherever and whenever they are held,” Gerry further wrote. With guys like Gerry, Budjette, Kajo, Ian and Mervin watching over the panels, pages and speech balloons, comic book enthusiasts can sleep soundly at night. Maharlika Kadasig Don’t let the tikbalangs and aswangs bite.
balikbayan is a valentine to everything we love about the Philippines. The People, the places, the faces, the food, the music, the history, the culture, the adventure, the lifestyle, the moments, and the memories. Simply said, love of country is back in style.
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INDUSTRY
Fil-Ams come home to a
brand new house and a car By Steno A. Padilla
Luck is definitely on the side of this balikbayan couple, who won a brand new car after buying a property in Batangas City. Mr. and Mrs. Ramon Argao received a blue BMW 116i after winning a raffle exclusively for those who have bought a property in Pontefino Hotel and Residences. The two were delighted for the double blessings that they have received: a house and a car. Mr. Argao used to be an architect in the Philippines before deciding to migrate in the United States in 1983, particularly in San Francisco. For more than two decades, he worked in a hospital and engaged in the buy-and-sell business to support his wife and three children. The couple decided to come back to the Philippines for one good reason: “To retire.” Even after spending a lifetime in a prosperous and one of the world’s most powerful country, the Argaos still believed that “there is no place like home.” And the Philippines will always be the home that they’ll come back to. Originally from Lucena, Quezon, Mr. Argao decided to buy a property in Batangas, even though not a single structure has been built yet, because of its amenities, the security of the place, and its accessibility to the mall, church, school, hospital, etc.
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The Argaos, incidentally, are also the first customer of Pontefino, being the initial clients to purchase a residence there. Pontefino Residences is “an exclusive Neo Victorian-themed Townhouse Development composed of 113 elegantly designed and fully-furnished units that sit next to Hotel Pontefino.” Argao’s property, like other residences, is a threelevel house with three bedrooms, a living room, dining/kitchen areas, four toilets and bath, a maid’s quarter and a carport (which can double as a function room or a warehouse). Pontefino Residences have a lot area ranging from 73 to 90 square meters and floor area of 142 to 148 square meters, depending on the location. Those houses located at the corner have bigger areas. Although most of the residences have been sold already, Pontefino still has a lot of quality housing that they are currently developing and selling. Units are available at Pontefino Prime, the latest addition to Pontefino’s signature residential development which is just a stone’s throw away from the hotel and residences. Built like a posh subdivision, houses in Pontefino Prime have two levels with a lot area of 60-80 square meters and floor area of 88-90 square meters. Each unit has three bedrooms, a living room, dining/kitchen areas, three toilets and bath, a maid’s quarter and a carport. The entire Pontefino Compound is managed by Creative Hotel Concepts, Inc. (CHCI), through its two operating subsidiaries, Hotel Concepts, Inc. (HCI), and Fino Property Ventures, Inc. (FPVI). HCI is the corporate vehicle of Pontefino, while FPVI is the property development arm, which is undertaking the development of the Pontefino Residences Project. As of 2009, CHCI and its operating subsidiaries have a consolidated asset value amounting to P472 million. CHCI expanded its portfolio across
the provinces because of the success of its initial venture. Plans to establish new developments within other high-growth provinces in the country are already in the works.
For inquiries, visit www.pontefinoresidences.com email manilasales@pontefinohotel.com call the Manila Sales Office at 635.9364.
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CFO:
Responding to the Challenges of Migration and Development The Commission on Filipinos Overseas is a government agency that aims to promote and advocate the interests of Filipino immigrants and permanent residents abroad, and to further preserve and strengthen the ties of Filipino communities overseas with the Motherland. Functions, Programs and Services Established on June 16, 1980, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas has four major functions: 1) to provide assistance to the President and the Congress of the Philippines in the formulation of policies and measures concerning or affecting Filipinos overseas; 2) to develop and implement programs and services that promote the interest and well-being of Filipinos overseas; 3) to serve as a forum for preserving and enhancing the social, economic and cultural ties of Filipinos overseas with the Motherland and; 4) to serve as a liaison on behalf of Filipinos overseas with appropriate government and private agencies in the transaction of business and similar ventures in the Philippines. So who are the primary clientele of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas? Primary clientele include Filipinos who are permanent residents overseas; dual citizens; naturalized citizens in other countries; spouses and partners of foreign nationals; descendants of Filipinos overseas; Filipino youth abroad and participants of Exchange Visitor Programs. Programs and Services The agency manages a wide range of programs and services that are continuously improved in response to the changing needs of overseas Filipinos in different parts of the world. 1343 Actionline Against Human Trafficking As head of the Advocacy and Communications Committee (AdvoCom) of the Interagency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), it receives and responds to requests for assistance, referrals and information from victims, their families and the
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general public on matters that are related to cases of human trafficking. Community Education Program The Teams from CFO are deployed in strategic localities to help prospective migrants and their families in making informed decisions about working or living abroad and other migration concerns such as trafficking, financial literacy and cross-cultural issues. Diaspora to Development This initiative provides the framework and strategies for mobilizing and engaging the Filipino diaspora in 10 identified areas and thereby contribute to Philippine development: BaLinkBayan, Alay Dunong sa Bayan, Diaspora Philanthropy, Diaspora Investment, Balik-Turo (Teach-Share)/Educational Exchange, Tourism Initiatives, Global Legal Assistance and Advocacy, Medical Missions, Arts and Culture Exchange, and Return and Reintegration. Linkapil Program Donations from overseas Filipinos, individuals or associations, are facilitated to ensure the smooth delivery of philanthrophic services or projects, e.g., medical missions, book donations, scholarships, schoolbuildings, waterwells, etc. Pre-departure Orientation Seminars for Migrants, Exchange Visitor Program and Au Pair Program Participants in these programs are given country familiarization seminars to facilitate their adjustment to overseas living and working conditions. Lakbay-Aral Program A two-week cultural immersion program in the Philippines, designed to appeal to Filipino youths overseas who are interested in rediscovering their roots. Overseas Filipinos Remittances for Development Council This initiative provides a policy framework that will ensure the effective leveraging of overseas Filipinos’ remittances for economic development through partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and other stakeholders. Philippine Schools Overseas These are duly-registered private educational institutions that operate outside the Philippines for the benefit of children of overseas Filipino workers and implement the basic education curriculum prescribed by the Department of Education. Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas A biennial award that is conferred on outstanding Filipinos and organizations and foreign partners to recognize their professional achievements and service contributions to overseas and Philippine-based communities. The award categories are: Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino Award, Banaag Award, Kaanib ng Bayan Award, and Pamana ng Pilipino Award. Migration Advocacy & Media Awards This annual award recognizes individuals and organizations engaged in multi-media activities whose works promote the welfare, concerns and achievements of Filipinos living and working abroad.
For more information about the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, you can visit their website at www.cfo.gov.ph February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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Feature
Keeping the Faith
Alive on Ilin Island One’s life can be changed by another person. It could be a relative or a friend, an acquaintance or an enemy. It could be the high-school teacher that you hate or that failed first love. It can be anybody, and it can happen anytime. For the people of Ilin Island in Occidental Mindoro, this change came in the person of Father Fernando Suarez. And it culminated when the “temple of faith”—the Santisima Trinidad Chapel and Formation House— was inaugurated on December 14 last year.
Text by Jane Francis S. Quinabo PHOTOS by Nicole Marie P. Alvaro
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Father Suarez, more commonly known as the Healing Priest, is a Roman Catholic cleric who was born in Batangas. After earning a Chemical Engineering degree from Adamson University, he followed God’s calling by joining the priesthood; he was ordained in 2002. He was sent to Ilin Island in a special way. He asked Bishop Antonio Palang of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, to be assigned where no priest wanted to go to. He got what he wished for and, as the cliché goes, the rest is history.
A Simple Life
The people of Ilin Island live a very simple lifestyle, devoid of life’s luxury and extravagance. When Father Suarez first set foot on the island in June, 2011, he got the shock of his life. But like what the good priest always believed in, God has plans for him and for the people of the impoverished island. Father Suarez decided the time was
ripe for the people of Ilin to finally have their own church. What proved to be his biggest task was not raking in funds for the structure, but transporting the materials from mainland San Jose into the island.
Huge Task
Due to the lack of proper docking/port area for big ships—notwithstanding the hilly terrain of Ilin Island, along with its rough roads and lack of public transportation (people in the island always walk from one destination to the other)—erecting the chapel has become a humongous mission. But thanks to the sponsors, businessmen, and volunteers who offered their allout and unending support to Father Suarez’s cause, at last the chapel was built and was unveiled to the people of Ilin Island on a sunny Friday morning last December. Ilin Island’s inhabitants are mostly fishermen and shell divers. Though
trouble-free and unpretentious on the surface, they live in poverty on a dayto-day basis.
Change
But what they lack in material resources, they make up for having a positive attitude towards life. As the clock slowly approaches the hour before noon, the people of Ilin Island flock to the chapel to welcome a much-awaited change in their community. It was a grand opening, to say the least. Free foods were overflowing for everyone, and the performances to welcome the guests and thank the sponsors for their support were moving. After everything had died down and the programs had finished, the people of Ilin Island were seen going inside the newly-built chapel to pray and contemplate, thanking the Almighty God for the blessing He had bestowed upon them.
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Feature
Touching lives, Text by Jane Francis S. Quinabo • Photos by Nicole Marie P. Alvaro
healing souls
Fr. Fernando Suarez is a Batangas-born Roman Catholic priest that has a Chemical Engineering degree from Adamson University. A humble man that answered God’s calling, he was officially ordained in 2002. But what makes this man memorable to all that he comes across with is his gift of healing, that people from all walks of life and from all over the world request for his prayer. The Healing Priest Fr. Suarez started as early as 16 years old, when during that time, God began using him as an instrument as he reached out to people who were in dire need. He realized that whenever he prayed to God for people who were sick, they felt better afterwards, or started to heal. At first, this newfound gift brought fear and confusion to the adolescent young man, but as he slowly encountered more and more sick people, he realized that this is the Lord’s purpose for him, and so he began on a journey that would change not just himself, but the people around him as well. 48
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In July 2003, he was assigned to form a healing ministry to further nurture his gift. Now, he regularly conducts retreats, missions, and healing masses with thousands of people in attendance. Mary Mother of the Poor That ministry is no other than the Mary Mother of the Poor Ministry, also known as MMP. It is a Canadian-registered non-profit organization dedicated to “seek holiness in evangelizing and working with the poor through the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.� The organization has four primary objectives: 1) to relieve poverty by providing food and other basic supplies to persons of low income by establishing, operating, and maintaining shelters for the homeless, and by providing counselling and other similar programs to relieve poverty; 2) to coordinate health care and social services for people with debilitating diseases, illnesses, and conditions including aging; 3) to advance and teach religious tenets, doctrines, observances and culture associated with the Roman Catholic faith and; 4) to provide supervised programs intended to help youth develop their talents and become good citizens. The organization is feeding students on a daily basis, sponsoring families, seniors, scholars, and seminarians in the poorest areas of the Philippines.
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RESTAURATEUR NON-PAREIL J. MARLO CRUZ: He Attributes His Success to Hardwork, Right Choices, Right Attitude, and Pure Luck Text By Dan E. Nino
If there’s one notable restaurant in the Cerritos area that pioneered in the fastfood business, Pinoy Pinay Filipino Fastfood comes to the fore. It was established in mid-1991 on South St. corner Pioneer Blvd. in the upscale City of Cerritos when it was still thinly populated by Filipinos. With the Filipino population steadily growing across the community, this fastfood store is flourishing whether the economy is up or down. As years went by, customers still defer to Pinoy Pinay as the undisputed leader of the fast food eatery. From a one-door 1,700 sq. ft. fastfood restaurant, Pinoy Pinay has expanded to a larger size, two-door 3,400 sq. ft. place when it took over the adjacent vacant door -- to accommodate its loyal and growing clientele from near and far. To prove that his recipe, menu, and food presentation are delectable in taste and sight and are savored in other parts of Greater Los Angeles, the principal owner had put up another branch in West Covina. The man behind this popular restaurant is J. Marlo Cruz, a 51-year-old marketing executive turned-restaurateur.
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At present, there are already four Pinoy Pinay fastfood restaurants in Greater Los Angeles. Two of them which are based in Las Vegas and Panorama City are now owned and managed independently by his original partner Ismael Trinidad. Marlo, however, maintains creative control of the menu and recipe to keep the high standard in all branches. Pinoy-Pinay Filipino Fastfood Restaurant was conceived in early 1991 and opened in the middle part of that year. It was offered to Marlo by a family friend, Ismael Trinidad, who eventually became his partner. During its inception, Ismael asked Marlo’s opinion about the possibility of introducing a Filipino restaurant in the Cerritos area of which he was a resident at that time. During the mid-1980s to early 1990s, there was a limited option on where to eat or buy food especially after work or on weekends right after attending Mass. “In fact, there was only one Oriental store and two Filipino restaurants at that time that provided mediocre food and service,” he recalled. “I thought we deserved better than those available food stores, that’s why I welcomed the idea of putting one up with Ismael Trinidad,” Marlo recalled.
With his two stores comprising 38 employees of labor intensive production, Marlo revealed that they prepare the food from scratch. His staff is composed of managers, cooks, assistant cooks, counter servers, and kitchen preparers. He describes his support staff as hardworking, caring and loyal people and proudly say that he has a low turnover of employees. When asked if he plans to provide franchising to interested entrepreneurs someday, Marlo left open the possibilities. “I’ll give franchising a little bit of thought and still considering and studying the possibility of it,” he said. If fine dining and fastfood restaurants are both lucrative busineses, what would be the preference of customers or immediate returns of investments (ROI)? Marlo shared that in fine dining, the bottom line is you can charge your customers more money for the same amount or quality of food but you’ll expect to see your customers once a week or only during special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. “Whereas in fastfood style,” he reasoned out, “you want to see your customers between two to three times a week. You don’t make a lot of money but by increasing the number of times they visit your restaurant, it helps the business in the long run. You know that saying, ‘Mura na, Masarap pa.’” he said.
The facade of Pinoy Pinay Filipino Fastfood’s main location in the City of Cerritos.
Why do people patronize the Pinoy Pinay group of fastfood restaurants? The common response is: “With a reasonable price for one combo order, the serving is aplenty, and for the customer who usually cannot consume it in one sitting, the tendency is to bring the leftovers home.” For one, he injects innovations to make his food more appealing to his customers. In one instance, he bought several equipment that caught his fancy in Manila in cooking the mouth-watering bibingka. Those who opt for catering on special occasions or home parties, he serves assorted platter trays at reasonable prices and deliver them for free, complete with chaffing warmers. In addition, the genial Marlo personally greets his customers who call them by their first names. These patrons have been around since he opened the restaurant 22 years ago. “All of the other restaurants you see nowadays in one way imitated us or copied from us,” Marlo claimed. The funny thing is that most of his employees, after they had left the restaurant had put up their own fastfood business but came up short of imitating his style of operation. Marlo immigrated to the U.S. in 1984. He found a job at Dennys restaurant group of companies. He started at Mother Butler Pies (a division of Dennys) as a kettle operator, cook, assosciate supervisor, and worked his way up to becoming a production supervisor and a night shift manager at the company’s production location that supplies all the Denny’s restaurants in Southern California with assorted pies and desserts. After Denny’s, he moved to La Petite Boulangerie, a division of Mrs Fields Cookies. He was
the store manager of the Lakewood store and eventually became a district manager. Thereafter, he shifted his work to the aerospace industry of Air Treads, a division of Goodyear Tires as a buyer, parts supervisor, and head of Purchasing. In a trailblazing move, Marlo and partner Ismael put up the Pinoy Pinay Filipino Fastfood. As a reflection, Marlo was asked about the pros and cons of having a business partner. He explains, “A partner provides financial stability, helps you manage the day-to-day operation and ease up the burden of running a sevendays-a-week operation. However, it also has its pitfalls like management decision comes at a slower pace, opinion varies, and sometimes a conflict of ideas occurs,” he shared After 22 years in the industry, Marlo tries to slow down the daily nitty gritty management of his two restaurants. He now heavily relies on his managers and just macro manage his operation. He said, “I don’t have the same energy but I still have the zest to go on and provide the Filipino community of a decent meal. I try not to get stressed a lot and spend more time with my family.” Thus, he downsized his stores only to Cerritos and West Covina and gave control of two other locations to his partner Ismael. In the long run, how does he envision the future of his lucrative business? He intimated that he will try to groom his son or any immediate member of his family to continue his legacy. “I hope they will have the same enthusiasm and attitude and work ethic to continue this legacy,” he said with conviction. Marlos’s typical day starts by checking with his managers and cooks and inquire from them the happenings of the previous
Pinoy Pinay’s delectable recipes include the native Bibingka, Embutido and Pansit Palabok from top to bottom
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Customers line up to select their food “turo-turo” style on a typical lunch scene.
day or weekend. He checks on the sales and expenses. He follows up on the vendors if there’s a discrepancy on costs then updates his staff for any changes in purchasing policies, schedules, and menu rotation. He reports to his office once a week doing accounts payables, preparing payrolls, and more. “The last but not the least, I check the employees upcoming birthdays,” he said. He gives them special treats. Despite his hectic business schedules and other activities, Marlo dutifully fulfills his family chores. He starts his weekdays by bringing his son to Cerritos High School, near his Cerritos main branch. He also sees to it that he takes breakfast with his wife for two or three times a week. “I don’t really take a day off,” he said. “I’m either in Cerritos or West Covina locations. I take business-related phone calls anytime of the day. I learned how to relax and enjoy life by playing golf twice a week. I just let my people run the business with little supervision.” Most of Marlos’s cooks and managers have been with him for more than 15 years, and they already know the normal routines. “I let them micro manage it and I just step in when I need too,” he said. Marlo is married to Anna Belle Cuyong, a dentist who practices in the Cerritos area for the past 20 years. The union is blessed with a son, Lawren, now a 16-year-old high school student at Cerritos High School. When asked what the secrets of his success are, Marlo attributes it to a combination of hardwork, making the right choices, attitude, and pure luck. He always reminds himself not to be in a hurry to be successful. His motto is: “Be humble. Avoid being greedy. Always keep a low profile, and do not let them see you coming.” During his free time, he keeps himself abreast by watching The Food Network Channel, The Cooking Channel, and The Travel Channel. As a businessman whose livelihood is in the food industry, Marlo loves to browse anything that features restaurants, mom and pop stores, and hole in the wall establishments. “I would make note of a restaurant, a taco truck, a hotdog stand that were featured in these channels and visit that city, state, or country for observation. It’s also a form of vacation with my family.” 52
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Pinoy Pinay Filipino Fastfood owner J. Marlo Cruz with author Dan E. Nino with platter trays like Lumpiang Shanghai and Lumpiang Sariwa among others. Large size Filipino paintings provide as backdrop.
After attending elementary and high school at Claret School in Quezon City, Marlo graduated from De La Salle University on Taft Ave., Manila, with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management/ Marketing Management in 1983. Later, he studied at the Institute Computer Technology in Los Angeles, specializing in Operations, Programming, and Information Support and Technical Services from 1984 to 1985. When his inclination began to shift to food industry, Marlo took up Culinary courses at Orange Coast College Culinary Arts (1986-87). Marlo’s business acumen began to shape up in the shadows of his parents. His role models are his parents who had a jewelry family business back in the Philippines. His mom Naty was in charge of sales and marketing while his dad Naning took care of the financial side of the business. He and his only brother Lomar would help out in the collection of payments in most of the government offices in Quezon City. Looking back, he professed, “I guess, everything I have or who I am today is attributed to my parents.” When asked if he has any advice to upcoming Filipino-American upstarts, he says, “To the second or third generation of young Fil-Ams who were either born or raised here, learn to appreciate what your parents have done to ensure for yourself a better future. You may not realize this but the sacrifice they did coming to this
Owner J. Marlo Cruz is flanked by his morning/lunch shift staff.
country, hurdling a lot of obstacles to be a good provider, I hope they get the message in that they don’t take them for granted or lightly.” For his charitable causes, Marlo supports the Breast Cancer awareness and Autism Speaks!
“I have been working in the restaurant and food industry almost all my life, so the choice to make it as a career and means of livelihood is an easy one.” Photos by Ding Carreon
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INDUSTRY
Dentists to the stars Photo Jeffrey Bulanadi
A smile is a universal language, so they say. And when it comes to the greatest smiles in the world, nothing could beat the warm, genuine smiles of the Filipinos. NU.U Asia Cosmetic Dentistry (one of the country’s leading names in cosmetic dentistry) gives you five reasons why dental visits and oral hygiene are definitely more fun in the Philippines.
NU.U Asia’s dentists Drs. Carlito Librando, Nelda Valencia Eufemio, and Mia Rosette Valencia Angeles
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NU.U Asia The Fort Branch
Filipino doctors, world-class expertise
NU.U Asia’s dentists: Drs. Nelda Valencia Eufemio, Mia Rosette Valencia Angeles, and Carlito Librando, have undergone several dental trainings with local and international intuitions. “We are always abroad to keep ourselves updated with the latest technology that we can apply in our dental practice,” says Dr. Eufemio. NU.U Asia’s dentists commit themselves to continuous dental education around the world, ensuring that the clinic is up-to-date with the latest dental procedures.
ZOOM! Teeth Whitening Equipment Photo by Jeffrey Bulanadi
World’s latest form of anaesthesia applicator—the revolutionary Wand Plus Photo by Jeffrey Bulanadi.
Luxurious dental clinics
Both NU.U Asia’s The Fort and Greenhills branches exude the modern and chic ambiance that most dental clinics in Manila are still trying to nail down. The combination of dark wood plus clean, white surfaces underlines the luxurious comfort the clinic is famous for.
Cosmetic Dentistry at its Finest
Using the latest equipment in dental technology, NU.U Asia offers the best dental cosmetic treatments such as Dental Implants, Teeth Whitening, Cosmetic Bonding, Gum Re-contouring, Orthodontics, General Dentistry, and Invisalign treatment or “invisible braces.” The clinic pioneered the use of the revolutionary Wand Plus (the most modern anesthesia applicator) in the Philippines. “Patients can be assured that [the service] they’ll be getting is of premium quality,” says Dr. Angeles. “All materials used at our center are of supreme type, making our work truly world-class and unmatched.”
Your dentist, your best friend
Gone are days when a trip to your dentist feels as gruelling as your college entrance exam. Your friendly, neighborhood dentists from NU.U. Asia will not just take care for your oral health, but will also be your friends for life.
NU.U Asia Greenhills Branch Photo by Jeffrey Bulanadi
“[Our patients] would often come back to see us not for a dental appointment but just to chitchat and catch up on each other’s lives, thus making our practice more worthwhile,” Dr. Angeles shares.
(NU.U Asia is planning to open its third branch in Quezon City this year. Interested parties who wish to have their treatments or check-ups at the Greenhills branch could call + 63 2 7270001 local 253 to set an appointment. Meanwhile, for those who wish to have appointments at NU. U Asia’s The Fort branch, you may call any of the three telephone numbers: + 63 2 8563641, +63 2 5023060, and +63 2 8465013.) February 2013 – March 2013 balikbayan
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