THE PHILIPPINES’ FORUM FOR INTERNATIONAL READERS SINCE 1981
November 6-26, 2016 Vol. XXXV No. 1
STILL IN STORES
www.expatphilippines.ph
Newspaper
President Rodrigo Duterte proposing a toast during a state banquet in Vietnam. As a friendly gesture towards the Southeast Asian neighbor, Duterte recently released 17 Vietnamese poachers. The fishermen were caught off the waters of Ilocos Sur. Photo courtesy of ROBINSON NIÑAL / PCOO
Name that tune
Cebu named 5th best island in the world
How will the President’s rhetoric absent of policies ultimately affect the Philippines? By TIMOTHY JAY IBAY
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oth sides of the divide will have their own opinions and supporting arguments for the bold pronouncements of President Rodrigo Duterte. But whether you question how the President’s anti-American rhetoric will affect the Information Technology and Business Process Management industry (which in 2015 generated US$22 billion in revenues, and is trending to overtake Overseas Filipino Workers’ total remittances by 2017), or you welcome the foreign policy shift to open opportunities to and from other markets—there is little doubt that Duterte has managed to get everyone’s attention. Now, whether his brash assertions can lead to mutually beneficial international relations, and perhaps more importantly, actual policies beneficial to the country is a different matter altogether.
Rebalancing relations Asian geopolitical and economic affairs specialist Richard Javad Heydarian recently pointed out in an Aljazeera.com article that while Duterte has rarely missed an opportunity to unleash invectives at the US – placing Washington under the spotlight in the process – a subtle analysis “reveals that what Duterte seeks is not decoupling from the West, and jumping into China’s embrace, but instead creating a healthy balance in Philippine foreign relations.” This was similar to Malacanang’s translation of Duterte’s declaration of “separation” from the US, with Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella saying that what the President said was a “restatement of his position on charting an independent foreign policy,” while adding in a statement that the President
wants to reduce the country’s dependence on the West, and rebalance economic and military relations with its neighbors. “So far, the strategy seems to be working. In fact, instead of estranging the West, Duterte seems to have caught their attention like never before,” Heydarian added, while pointing out that amidst the countless tirades, the US has dispatched a number of high-level diplomats (Kirstie Kenney, Sec. John Kerry and incoming US envoy Sung Kim)—a sign of the US’ growing concern of foreign policy redirection towards China. Question of policy This possibility is echoed by Malcolm Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, who in an interview with page 3 The Feed, said that in Duterte’s
Mactan Airport places 14th By RICHARD RAMOS
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he international accolades get bigger and wider in scope as Cebu continues to outdo itself, placing fifth among the world’s best islands, while the Mactan-Cebu international Airport (MCIA) copped 14th place on the global front as well. Respondents from the 2016 Readers Choice’ Awards Survey of the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler magazine termed Cebu as “the most densely populated island in the Philippines… famous for its beaches on the mainland as well as across many of the surrounding islands.” Other comments describe Cebu as “not as wild as Phuket in Thailand, Cebu is more personal with plenty of up-and-coming restaurants and shopping.” Cebu’s fifth place ranking marks an alltime high as the island province has been a perennial Top 10 placer for page 3 the past several years, with the
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NEWS
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
AirAsia launches new Taipei, Singapore flights from Cebu By RICHARD RAMOS
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irAsia formally announced it would be operating Cebu-Taipei and CebuSingapore direct flights starting Nov. 25, 2016. Philippines AirAsia CEO Captain Dexter Comendador said, “We are now targeting support cities outside Manila, mainly Cebu, in order to connect the city with over 120 destinations all over Asia.” He added that the Philippines has so many attractions and lacks only the infrastructure to enable the tourists to witness these attractions and landmarks. Elaine Ramirez, press executive assistant at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines, batted for closer ties between Taiwan and the Philippines due to the proximity between both countries. “Taiwan is located right at the heart of Asia. The booming economies of Taipei and Cebu can only mean huge tourism returns for both cities,” she declared at a press gathering held at Vikings Buffet, SM City Cebu. To celebrate the launch, AirAsia is offering promotional fares as low as PhP888 for a travel period from Nov. 25, 2016 to Mar. 25, 2017. Promotional fares are available up to Nov. 23, 2016 only. Flight schedules Flight Z2 7124 leaves the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) at 6:35 a.m. every Wednesday and 6:10 a.m. every Friday and Sunday for the three-hour flight to Taipei. Another plane, Flight Z2 7125 leaves Taipei every Wednesday at 10:20 a.m., every Friday at 10:10 a.m., and every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Department of Tourism head of route de-
velopment Erwin Balane welcomed the new routes emanating from Cebu while announcing the addition of more new overseas flights. “We will open the Bangkok-Cebu route soon by Cebu Pacific. There is also the CebuChengdu route by China Eastern Airlines. Also forthcoming by Christmas is the NaritaCebu route by Vanilla Air, a low-cost Japanese carrier,” he stated. Regarding the Cebu-Singapore route, Singapore Tourism Board area director for the Philippines Lael Loh said in a statement, “The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) congratulates AirAsia on its newest destination milestone in the Philippines. We are excited by the opening of the new Cebu-Singapore route, which will provide more opportunities for Filipino travelers to discover, experience, and enjoy the multitude of offerings in the Lion City.” The Cebu-Singapore flight schedule is as follows: Flight Z2 7236 from MCIA leaves at 4:55 p.m. and lands at the Changi Airport at 8:30 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. From Singapore, Flight Z2 7237 leaves at 9:10 p.m. and lands in Cebu at 12:55 p.m., also on the same aforementioned days. Apart from Singapore and Taipei, AirAsia announced earlier that it would also increase flights between Cebu and Kuala Lumpur from three to four times weekly effective Oct. 29. AirAsia also services direct flights from Cebu to Incheon in South Korea. CEO of the Year Aside from the new flights announcement, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes was named Airline CEO of the Year at the
2016 CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence. This is the third time Fernandes has won the accolade from influential aviation consultancy CAPA-Centre for Aviatio, having also won the award in 2004 and 2005. "AirAsia has come a long way since I won the first ever CAPA Airline Executive of the Year award in 2004. And in those 12 years, AirAsia has both changed and stayed the same. Back in 2004, the low-cost model was still something new to Asia. We had just embarked on our first two affiliates outside of Malaysia, in Thailand and Indonesia. We had 17 planes and 1,400 staff, and people were only starting to notice us,” Fernandes said in a statement.
"Since then, we've grown into a truly Asean airline with more than 200 aircraft and 17,000 All-stars. We're the only airline that flies to all 10 Asean nations and, with Fly-Thru, we can connect the whole of Asia Pacific, from Japan, Korea and China to Australia and New Zealand to India and beyond, in just one stop. We even fly as far as Mauritius now. So that's what's changed.” CAPA said Fernandes was selected for the award for successfully steering AirAsia to increased profitability and an improved outlook this year following an "extremely challenging" 2015.
The Xinyi District skyline featuring the iconic Taipei 101 Photo courtesy of MXD Systems-Free
Phl, Finland explore possible ICT, energy deals By RICHARD RAMOS
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usiness stakeholders from Cebu and Finland have delved into initial talks centering on renewable energy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as both parties ready themselves for renewed trade and business linkages with each other. These two fields rank among Finland’s (somewhat of an overlooked economic dyna-
mo in Europe) foremost economic strengths, as representatives from both business delegations extolled their respective assets in an effort to firm up new business ventures to broaden their market base. Jose Ng, vice president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)-Visayas chapter, pointed out Cebu’s lofty rankings for the past several years as a
(3rd from left) Ahlberg, Makitalo, and Teemu Laakkonnen pose with filipino counterparts in a dialogue held at an uptown cebu hotel
perennial Top 10 placer among the “world’s best islands” as cited by Conde Nast Traveler. Cebu-Finland accolades Cebu was also cited in a Tholons survey as the seventh best city in the world for outsourcing in 2016 after having spent several years at the eighth spot, while competing head-on with city counterparts at least thrice as large in land area and over five times as much in population. Also discussed was Cebu’s stellar performance in the investment field, hosting nearly 400 Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) spread out over various economic and IT zones throughout the city and province. On the other hand, Finland boasts of more impressive figures in various global fields of importance. To cite a few; World’s Best in Global Competitiveness by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2015; World’s Best in Press Freedom by the Press Freedom Index; World’s Third Least Corrupt Country by Corruption Perceptions in 2014; World’s Second Best in Gender Quality by the WEF in 2014, among others. This was declared by Siv Ahlberg, programme director of Finnpartnership, who also added that the absence of resources forced her countrymen to think out-of-thebox and innovate in order to become more self-reliant and environmentally focused. “We have over 2,000 companies affiliated with Cleantech. We recycle over 90 percent of our water and implement strict environmental laws and policies. This covers 26 million hectares of forestry, or 68 percent of our total land area, and 200,000 lakes. We are also an open market under the Nordic countries
composed of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway,” she related in a forum held at an uptown Cebu hotel. Cleantech is a giant company offering varied opportunities in bioenergy, wind power, arctic energy, and energy-efficient construction. The company is composed of technology, services, solutions, process innovations, and products that help reduce the environmental load caused by human activity. The state of ICT is likewise strong in Finland as evidenced by the presence of fixed broadband in 97 percent of the homes, classification of 90 percent of the population as regular internet users, 85 percent as online news readers, and 73 percent as online shoppers. Petteri Makitalo, a Finnish businessman based in Manila, offered a realistic point of view on the biggest challenges foreign investors face in the Philippines. These concern dealings with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the judicial system, and the customs department. He did not elaborate. Makitalo is the general manager of The Freefood Co. He is also the vice president of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce, as well as chair of the Foreign Chamber Council of the Philippines. Teemu Lakkonen, Finnish deputy head of mission, added that their market economy provides health care and education for free. Likewise, the country is free from natural disasters or eternal conflicts with other nations. The forum concluded with a B2B session with IT-BPM, manufacturing, and clean energy stakeholders from both countries for possible collaborations and partnerships.
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NEWS
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
Cebu named 5th best island...from page 1 previous high being at eighth place. Interestingly, Cebu placed a lowly 19th in 2015 – an all-time low ever since it broke into the Top 10 over a decade ago. This solidifies Cebu’s status as a certified and consistent tourism magnet in the region despite being surrounded by much stronger competition, which boasts of stronger financial resources and higher tourism arrivals. Sweetening the pot is the readers’ choice of Boracay as world’s top island, nudging Palawan to the second spot this year. This marks the first time ever that three Philippine destinations have placed among the Top Five islands in the world in the Conde Nast surveys. Stakeholder feedback Despite the glowing news, some leading industry personalities have expressed caution on the story, as they are well aware that much more needs to be done to improve Cebu’s competitiveness situationer. Dondi Joseph, president of the Cebu Business Club, declared that while Cebu is indeed beautiful, much work is still needed on improving traffic management, sustainable water management, wastewater management, and protection of the seas and forests. “Without these, Cebu will degrade and become just another island of urban sprawl,” he said in a text message. Joselito “Boboi” Costas, Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer, said “the ratings are a good promotion for Cebu, as well as an opportunity to look for ways to improve the facilities and services.” Edilberto “Bert” Mendoza, president of the Cebu Association of Tour Operators (CATO), stated that he was happy to know that Cebu is now recognized the world over as one of the best islands. “This, coupled with our new and efficient airport, will really bring in more tourists to Cebu. Our local government should take these good signs as a wake-up call to facilitate the improvement of our tourism infrastructure for us to be ready with the influx of visitors,” he said in a text message. Glenn Soco, president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), said that the news serves as a welcome development for Cebu, especially in its efforts to boost tourism. He expects the ratings to improve considering the right infrastructure would soon be in place. “With the completion of the new terminal and further improvements in the existing terminal, these developments will surely
complement our position as a favored tourism and investment destination,” he replied in a text message. Melanie Ng, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), stated that she is very much elated that Cebu has placed fifth in the Conde Nast survey. “This just proves that the concerted efforts of government and the private sector, along with a much invigorated and enhanced marketing initiative to promote Cebu is bearing fruit. Also, this increases our responsibility to ensure that we continue to strengthen our efforts and establish innovative marketing efforts to get to the top of the list.” Regarding the airport ranking, Ng called it as “personally very gratifying” since she has served as the Private Sector Representative at the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) for a number of years. “I have seen and experienced the great work and collaboration done by the authority representing the government and the PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) representing the private sector. The positive outcome shows how a strong collaboration between public and private entities can create so much development that will benefit the greater public,” she said in a text message. To recall, the MCIA previously ranked 18th in 2015 as a result of its aggressive campaign for better facilities en route to a more pleasant airport experience. Airport highlights MCIA is 60 percent owned by the GMRMegawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMR-CAC), which won a 25-year concession to manage the airport and renovate Terminal One for the deposited and non-refundable amount of PhP14 billion. The past several months has witnessed several upgrades in services and amenities designed for maximum passenger convenience and accessibility. Examples here are the new taxi and bus lanes, renovated toilets, new lactation room, better lighting facilities, presence of greenery within the terminal, more food concessionaires, and new check-in facilities. GMR-CAC has also been very aggressive in the establishment of new overseas flights. Last March, the airport was successful in negotiating the creation of three new inaugural flights from Taiwan, Dubai, and Xiamen. Upcoming plans include indoor parking, a mall, a hotel, and more roads leading to the airport.
The Discover Central Europe roadshow, which included a seminar hosted by officials from state-run tourism organizations from the four Central European tourist powerhouses, attracted over 100 representatives from travel agencies and media that are looking to expand their tour offerings to include more destinations from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The main partner of the event was Turkish Airlines, which offer flights to the capitals of the Central European countries.
Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu has become a major tourist attraction in recent years Photo courtesy of KLARA FERNANDEZ
Name that tune...from page 1 mind, he could be seeking to play Washington off against Beijing and Moscow to get a better deal. Davis, however, quickly follows this up by saying, “He thinks he is in a strong position, and all sides will come to the table to give him what he wants, but I don’t see the US being suckered into such a play. Instead, Beijing and Moscow will happily accommodate him, and exploit Duterte’s vanity to their benefit, and Manila’s disadvantage.” Of course, this current game the President is playing will only really take shape when actual policies are either made or changed. But so far, the temporary diplomatic recalibration looks to have, at the very least, put the Philippines on the international market’s radar. Apart from the US$24 billion in investment commitments and credit facilities from China and the US$1.85 billion from Japan, which came from Duterte’s state visits, there have been reports that Sweden, following the US’ halting of firearms sales to the Phil-
ippines, is looking to tap into the country’s defense market, while Poland recently sent, after 17 years, a business delegation to look into investment opportunities. For a Duterte optimist, and on the surface, these certainly appear to be the results the President is aiming for. Although, it’s important to note, particularly on the Chinese side of investment commitments, another sudden shift will be perilous to the to the delivery of those investment agreements and the eased tensions in the South China Sea. Absent concrete policies, the international community is being set up to be kept on their toes when it comes to dealing with the Philippines’ volatile President. And maybe, which is a huge maybe, the premature pronouncement – policy vagueness ratio could lead to an enhanced Philippine bargaining position at the regional strategic table. How long that lasts is a line Duterte will have to toe cautiously.
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NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
Metro’s longest park opens in BGC BGC Greenway Park is a suburban escape in a bustling business center
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etro Manila has long become an urban jungle of cacophony. The once green and healthy city is now too crowded and chaotic, as open spaces have taken a backseat to make room for skyscrapers and condominiums. Urbanites are finding it difficult to pursue a sound and healthy lifestyle when the air they breathe in is toxic and the dangers of the road are all too real. This is one of the scenarios that Bonifacio Global City wants to address. Being a safe, and walkable city, BGC’s master planner and developer, Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC), collaborated with its very own community to bring BGC Greenway Park to the public. The BGC Greenway Park is a 1.6-kilometer stretch of landscaped expanse that is poised to be the longest urban park in the Metro — its length close to New York City’s The High Line. BGC Greenway Park lies at the western part of the city. From one end, it connects McKinley Parkway to different offices and
residential buildings such as the Bellagio, Bonifacio Ridge, and all the way to the Net Plaza. Stroll, lounge, and workout BGC Greenway Park provides everyone a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of daily living. People will find BGC Greenway Park as a safe place to run/jog, bike, or walk pets. It’s also a place to hold outdoor events such as Sunday markets, film screenings, and other social functions. FBDC is set to transfer the management and maintenance duties of the park to the Bonifacio Global City Estate Association, as part of the latter’s mandate to keep the BGC community a safe and suitable place for residents, workers, and visitors alike. BGC Greenway Park is open to the public daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, contact Bonifacio Global City’s Community Manager, Armie Candado at (0917) 559-1749 or email info@bgc. com.ph
The BGC Greenway Park is a 1.2-kilometer landscaped expanse perfect for lounging around or working out
IORA ready for a new look? Asean craft takes center Singapore’s popular fashion brand reinvents itself for a stage at Manila FAME fresher, more dynamic, savvy look Text by BERNARD SUPETRAN
By ANGIE DUARTE
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ashion aficionados will know that Singaporean clothing brand IORA has been a player on the garment scene for over two decades. The brand was a go-to source of frills and frocks, which were suitable for a night on the town, a fancy date, a chic event, and such. Recently, IORA reinvented itself – in keeping with sleeker, hipper times – and now showcases a look that is more versatile, whist being hip and dynamic. IORA’s new collection focuses on versatile, yet fashionforward pieces that are easy to wear, and easy to match. From stylish work blouses, tailored pants and culottes, to playfully feminine skirts and dreamy lace tops, IORA makes it simple for women of all ages to step out in chic, savvy sartorial style. Clean and chic casual choices Clean and chic lines dominate IORA‘s new style sensibility, making each piece the perfect choice for building a wardrobe that will not only allow you to highlight your own fashion sense, but will also remain en vogue for years to come. The new collection plays on a color palette classic and basic, whilst eye-catching and alluring. Figure-flattering
monochromatic hues dominate, as do timeless prints and patterns such as stripes. Lalu, IORA’S new line of casual clothing is an interesting mix of laid-back, yet luxe pieces. Stylish t-shirt dresses, jogger pants, and denim garments, with a touch of embroidery or sequin embellishment, for instance, make for easy to wear, effortlessly elegant looks. High quality, low prices To add to the excitement, IORA offers affordable prices which are easy on the pocket. Now, you can revamp your wardrobe, without breaking your budget! Prices range from an affordable PhP499 to PhP2,199, with specials deals on bundled items. Enjoy bundle offerings such as two pieces worth PhP799 for only PhP1,399, and two pieces worth PhP1,199 for only PhP1,999. The brand’s cost-efficient pricing does not, however, come at the expense of quality. IORA commits to maintaining the high quality-standard which it has always applied to the brand. IORA ready for a new look? If you are, head on over to the new concept stores at SM Megamall, Glorietta, and Trinoma, for your pick of fashion-forward clothing with more than a touch of classic charm.
The new IORA also offers various styles in denim that are staples in every woman’s wardrobe and perfect to match with crisp white shirts
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outheast Asia can look forward to more contemporary global crafts and designs as works of master craftsmen from the region took center stage in the recent Manila FAME—the country’s premier international event for lifestyle exports, at the World Trade Center. Dubbed the ASEAN Master Craft Design Festival, the exhibit highlighted the first collection of crafts developed through the project “Improving the Status of ASEAN Mastercraft Designers,” which is supported by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With the theme “ASEAN Crafts to the World,” the festival featured contemporary crafts in an ASEAN Pavilion featuring the works of master craftsmen Roselyn Long Lah and Edric Ong of Malaysia, Lim Masulin of Indonesia, Truong Phi Duc of Vietnam, Rush Pleansuk of Thailand, and Al Valenciano of the Philippines. The pavilion – inspired by a cocoon and executed in metal and cloth – was curated by celebrated Indonesian architect Cosmas Gozali. The Vienna-trained designer presents mod- Al Valenciano of the Philippines ern and futuristic design works with ASEAN products by sustaining the region’s innovative spatial exploration. On display were Indonesian batik hand master craftsmen," said Mina Gabor, chairweaving applications on furniture, clothing, man of the Philippine Small and Medium housewares and installations, and Malaysian Business Development Foundation, Inc. beadwork, Sarawakan native headgear and (Philsmed) which is managing the project. The project was endorsed by the National cloth as fashion accessories and lighting fixCommission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) tures. The Philippines was represented by ina- through the Department of Foreign Affairs bel handwoven products from the Ilocos Re- (DFA) and funded by the ASEAN–Republic gion, Vietnam displayed its notable lacquer of Korea Future Oriented Cooperation Proware sets, while Thailand by its craft designs gram. Gabor pointed out that the project applied on furniture, lighting, accessories and stemmed from the decline in the export sales house ware toys. A partnership with the Center for Inter- of Southeast Asian crafts as observed by the national Trade Expositions and Missions ASEAN countries during the AHPADA (CITEM) of the Department of Trade and meeting in 2009. “The solution is, not only to groom and Industry (DTI), the project was initiated by the ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and De- propagate master craft designers, but also to velopment Association (AHPADA), the re- make them develop and establish their individual cultural identity, attain brand distincgion's largest group of craftsmen. "The program aims to strengthen and en- tion despite the commonality of raw materihance the use of design in reinforcing cultural als, diversity, and ultimately enable them to identity in the development and marketing of name their price,” she added.
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F E AT U R E S
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
That (post) Halloween high By ANGIE DUARTE
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irst off, welcome to my column! This is where I get to be manic about anything and everything. This will be a not-so random read of the musings, mutterings and machinations of a Manila-based mama – yes, that would be me! This puts me one step close to world domination (insert maniacal laugh, here)! Ok, maybe that last statement was a joke. Or was it? Bwahahaha! Coming off Halloween, I must admit that I am a bit of a holiday humbugger. I tend to get bluesy on my birthday, and I find that Christmas colors me nostalgic. But Halloween, now there’s another story, entirely. My enjoyment of the holiday is such that I may as well be crowned the next Pumpkin Queen. Although Halloween, in this Christmas-crazed country, generally lurks in the glittery, hollydecked shadow of the Yuletide Season, its black and orange ghoulish soul takes center-stage in my life. My heart beats Halloween – all year ‘round. You see, I have always been of the Halloween persuasion. I am among those who have been labeled many things: Goth, dark, tragic poet, the more recent and oh-so-cringe-worthy “emo,” and just downright strange. Now, I do know that the festivity is over and done with, this year… or is it,
REALLY? You see, there are those of us for whom Halloween is more than just a holiday: it is a state of mind. Vincent and strange lullabies It all started many moons ago. Why, I can trace it back to the day I was born. Tropical storm signal No. 3 lambasted the metro, as I popped out into this world. The name of the storm has since been forgotten, but I was told it was a real howler. Just like me. Fitting, I suppose. I grew up fascinated with what most my friends thought gross or scary: bugs, spiders, lizards, bats; you know the kind. Late nights would see me quietly sneaking out of bed to catch Vincent Price’s show. His deep baritone voice would send delicious shivers up and down my spine, as I would listen to tales of vampires and things that went bump in the night. Then – happy, but too scared to sleep in my own room – I would quietly creep into my parent’s room, and sleep beside my dad. The Worm Song and the Fly Song were always my favorite lullabies. Truth be told, I had many faves: Mr. Sandman; Hush, Little Baby and Somewhere Over the Rainbow were up on the list too. But none of these fascinated
me more than the thought of going to the garden to eat some worms, and old ladies swallowing flies. I surmised that there were others like me, else these children’s songs would not have been written. Others like me Eventually, as grew through the teen years and matured into young adulthood, I realized that there were, in fact, others like me. Those who shared my penchant for a predominantly black palette of clothing. Slimming, elegant, and no-fuss with multiple loads of different colors to wash. Ironically, most of those same people shared my penchant for cats as well. So we all enjoyed yet another commonality – we were official cardcarrying lint brush freaks. I found a slew of others who loved Lewis Carrol, Edgar Allan Poe, and thought Tim Burton a demi-god of sorts. Our sensibilities were honed by the likes of these, imprinting their twisted and dark art into our souls; for future use. Skulls, skeletons, crosses: among our well-loved icons, appearing on most everything we own. Up and down such avenues of selfexpression, we traverse; more than a
tad left-off-society’s Bell-Curve-dictated center. Life balance We are those who keep life in balance. The Yin to your Yang – complementary forces; without which, the other would simply cease to be. Has this dark psyche turned me into a morose, brooding deadweight to society? Morose and brooding, sometimes; deadweight, hardly. On the contrary, it has enabled me to live at a more heightened level. My interest in the “morbid and macabre” – as you may perceive these to be – propels me ever onward toward life; reminding me to seize each day, because we won’t be around forever. Perhaps this is what I like most about Halloween, and its partner-incrime, All Soul’s Day—we remember the dead, so that we remember to live; to make every moment of life truly count for something. Ponder on this, for a moment. For to me, nothing is more dark and tragic than a life gone to waste. Which brings me back to where I started with this piece, and reminds me each time to maybe get rid of the holiday humbuggery. Just maybe.
Draft Gastropub + Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier = One ale of a great time! Manila’s popular watering hole takes on Oktoberfest with Germany’s iconic beer By ANGIE DUARTE
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generally like to think of myself as a reasonably multi-talented person; a Jillof-all-trades, if you will. I must, however, admit that one skill stands out proudly above the rest: I can drink beer in next to no time, at all. Yes; I can guzzle grog really fast – under four seconds for a 330-milliliter mug, and under eight seconds for a half pint. Have yet to try a full pint (#GOALS). Now unfortunately, this skill won’t pay the bills, but it does come in handy at Oktoberfest celebrations; at which I am usually enlisted for beer-drinking contests. No coercion necessary. At Draft Gastropub’s recently concluded round of Okotberfest mania, I once again happily obliged. I say happily because not only do I love beer, I especially love good beer, such as the Paulaner Oktobefest Bier which was generously poured out at Draft. A hearty German tradition On Oct. 15, 22 and 29, Draft Gastropub took beer-aficionados back in time via their celebration of a 200-year-old German tradition. The Oktoberfest started in Munich, as a reception to commemorate the wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Munich residents were invited to the feast and came out, full-force, to honor the couple – and to
party in a meadow, now known as Wiesn. The reception lasted for days, as did the feasting and the drinking, and everyone had – if you will pardon the pun – one ale of a great time! The rest has gone down in the annals of beer history: the Oktoberfest has grown to become Germany’s biggest yearly event, and has even spilled over to other countries, far and wide. A special beer, for a special affair Now what you may or may not have known about the roots of the first-ever Oktoberfest is that Paulaner was on the scene from the get-go. The well-loved German beer brand was asked to do a special brew for the marriage of Ludwig and Therese. That’s right; Paulaner is as “Oktoberfest” and authentic as Oktoberfest beer gets. Imagine then, my excitement to learn that not only was Draft hosting this special affair, but that they were doing so in tandem with a special beer: Paulaner. Much as I looked forward to indulging my mad beer-drinking skills, it was also with a little hesitation that I joined the contest, as this “Oktoberfest Ale” (which is also what this unique Paulaner brew is called) was one beer I would have rather savored then chugged. It was all good, though, as I quickly found out that there was more
where it came from, thanks to the generous folk at Paulaner. German eats and treats True to the Oktoberfest tradition, Draft served up not only super suds, but also delectable German fare to complement the beer. The pub’s renowned Chef, Carlo Miguel, prepared a scrumptious selection of sausages – namely, Bratwurst, Bockwurst, Italian and Andouille – as well as sides of sauerkraut, double mashed potato, corn sucottash, frites and spaetzle. Guten appétit, indeed! To add to the festivity of the Oktoberfest, Draft hosted live musical performances and fun-filled games (and in case you were wondering, I did win the beer drinking showdown!). This Bavarian bonanza took place at Draft Gastropub’s branches in Greenbelt, Alabang, and the Fort Strip, from the 2nd to the last Saturdays of October. Ein Prost! Cheers to Oktoberfest (and to next year’s beer extravaganza)!
Paulaner Oktobefest Bier
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Murray Hertz Founding Publisher (1928-2014) Butch C. Bonsol President & Managing Director Timothy Jay Araneta Ibay Editor-in-Chief Suzette Defensor Consultant Richard A. Ramos (Cebu) Via Baroma Staff Writers Angie Duarte Ching Dee Writers-at-Large Leah Egamino-Palaña Advertising Coordinator Jennifer Codera Billing, Credit and Collection Supervisor Nikki Joy Habana Macjanry Imperio Design & Layout Our Headquarters: Unit 305 Cristina Condominium, 143 Legaspi cor. V.A. Rufino St., Legaspi Village, Makati City Our telephone numbers: (+632) 840-2996 or (+632) 812-0987; Fax (+632) 840-2988 You can also reach us at: expatmag@gmail.com and for sales and advertising: expatcomsales@gmail.com Cebu Mailing Address: MJ. Cuenco Avenue cor. C. Mina St., Mabolo, Cebu City Telefax: (032) 412-8000 Statements, views and opinions expressed by the writers, contributors, and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or the management. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
Tutti Belli Ristorante Italiano: A fulfillment of a legacy Text and photos by CHING DEE
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t took years for this restaurant concept to come to fruition. It was his father’s dream to open their very own restaurant that celebrated their love for Italian home cooking, but when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, that dream had to take the back seat until he passed away in 2015. “I just know that this is what my dad really wants,” Nico David told Expat. “This way, we fulfilled his wish, and we’ve shared his legacy with more people.” Seasoned Italian chef and long-time family friend of the Davids, Nono Bernas, was their go-to guy when they finally decided to revisit the restaurant concept. With his expertise, Tutti Belli Ristorante Italiano officially opened on July 2016 — a year after the passing of David’s father and Chef Nono’s dear friend. Beautiful authenticity “This is unadulterated, genuine Italian cooking,” Chef Nono said with conviction. “That’s why we’re proud of our dishes, because we simply made Italian dishes with the best ingredients that we can get.” David and Chef Nono’s dedication to authenticity is indeed a thing of beauty. They even import the flour they use to make their own pasta and pastries. “We want to make sure that we have something that no other Italian restaurant has,” David said. “It’s not enough that you have tasty food. You have to put in something extra, something special.”
Chef Nono agrees and added, “By making our dishes from scratch, we know exactly what’s in the dish, we can be sure that the quality of our product will be consistent, and we have something that cannot be replicated by other restaurants.” “We named it Tutti Belli, [which translates to ‘all beautiful’], because our goal is to provide meals that are all beautiful in every aspect,” David explained. Hearty Italian home cooking in Makati Italians know that when it comes to cooking, no expense is spared in the name of a great dish. The same goes with Chef Nono’s authentic Italian home-style offerings at Tutti Belli Ristorante, complemented by the warm and cozy interiors and lighting, reminiscent of warm Italian afternoons. Make sure to try their Sfoglia e Formaggio, which has a rich and milky pastry crust with creamy cheese filling and topped savory prosciutto and alfalfa. It is a delightfully luscious, yet light start to a promising meal. Another must-try is their Polpo – described as scrumptious, thinlysliced octopus with olives, potatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula and drizzled with tangy vinaigrette parsley. Their version of Italian favorite Vongole Al Forno stays true to its Italian coast self – oven-baked clams in white wine with sweet peppers, eggplant, and aromatics like garlic and onion, then topped with crispy
smoked bacon and mozzarella. Do not leave Tutti Belli without trying their signature pasta, Tagliatelle di Tartufo, made with homemade tagliatelle pasta with mixed mushrooms, butter, and porcini — all tossed in a luxurious truffle cream sauce that’s as addictive as it sounds. The perfect meal can only end with something sweet. Try their classic Italian desserts: Panna Cotta and Tiramisu to complete your home-cooked Italian experience. Now, thanks to Tutti Belli, there’s no need to rummage through the plethora of Italian restaurants in the Metro to enjoy genuine Italian fare — as it sits right in the heart of Makati. Tutti Belli Ristorante Italiano is located at Doña Concepcion Building, A. Arnaiz Ave. (formerly Pasay Road), Makati. They are open daily, 11a.m. to 11 p.m. For inquiries, call (02) 776-2695.
Creamy and rich Truffle Pasta with homemade fetuccine
PlatoWraps: Great meals in small packages By VIA BAROMA
The favorite flatbread stall gets hip and healthy
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ou’re bound to have come across it while traversing the many corners of the metro, as for 15 years, PlatoWraps has been known for serving value-for-money meals that are fresh, delicious and filing for people on the go. To celebrate the milestone, PlatoWraps unwrapped its new look with a new logo and cart design. The round, green and white stripped logo is inspired by PlatoWraps’ signature ridged plate-shaped sandwich in an effort to make their brand even more identifiable. The green and white symbolizes cleanliness and freshness of their products. “The initial plan is to align the visual identity: the logo, the packaging, the cart with the personality of PlatoWraps. We worked with the best graphic artist team and also the best designer to come up with this all new look for PlatoWraps,” PlatoWraps Brand Manager Kreme Seen told Expat. “We want to offer something fresh and modern for these delicious and filling wraps,” she added. Their story The idea for the plate-shaped sandwich took form when the family came across the opportunity to expand their bakery over a decade ago. From its first iteration – a chicken-filled flatbread – PlatoWraps was eventually launched as a full on menu, with variants like Ham and Cheese, Yummy Tuna, Beef Gyro, among others seasonal offerings like Adoborito, Cheese Pimiento and Platopizza. 15 years on, PlatoWraps remains a smart choice for busy city slickers that are always
on the lookout for portable, affordable and healthy meals. “Customers are now more health-conscious. They understand products that are made with less preservatives and additives. They want food that is prepared fast without sacrificing the quality and taste,“ says Seen. PlatoWraps continues to evolve, with founder and president Kamela Seen busying herself with developing a chia wrap, as well as experimenting with fillings like bean sprouts and gourmet tuyo. Moreover, PlatoWraps will also be coming out with packaged fillings and flatbreads that customers can take home and enjoy at their leisure. Another thing to look forward to is the PlatoWraps “Café” – a standalone store that
would feature many other delectable and wholesome treats as well as new and exciting delightful wraps. To find out more on how to experience and taste your favorites to-go meals, f @PlatoWraps on Instagram and @PlatoWrapsOfficial on Facebook.
PlatoWraps’ Founder and President, Kamela Seen and Brand Manager, Kreme Seen
Enjoy favorites to go healthy wrap meals with delicious fillings from PlatoWraps
E X P AT N E W S P A P E R
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
G RU B H U B
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Chaplin: Experience Israel’s best right in Makati Text and photos by CHING DEE
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t's one thing to lust over this Seductive cheese pull of Chaplin's with a hefty serving of fries and a meatless Shakshouka Pizza side salad. Israeli treat on TV, but tasting it — no, experiencing it — is a Chaplin is also famous as a completely different story. brunch place. And with their WafShakshouka, an Israeli dish, from fle Eggs Benedict with a delightChaplin bursts with such flavor and fully tangy twist, brunch will never freshness; it makes braving the oftbe the same again. Fluffy waffles horrendous Makati Avenue traffic topped with a perfectly poached well worth it. egg and drizzled with their lemony And that’s just the beginning. hollandaise sauce — a pleasant surWhen Yuval and Norfar Mann prise and a beautiful palate cleanser. moved to the Philippines from Israel If you’ve got a major breakfast about eight years ago, Norfar strugcraving, order the Chaplin Breakgled to find restaurants that cater to Fully loaded Chaplin's signature Shakshouka fast — a gorgeous breakfast platter vegetarians like her. About six years with feta cheese and black olives with all of Chaplin’s signature dips: later — longing for the comforting olive paste, spicy cream cheese, satisfying without slathered with pesto, flavors of home while still struggling guacamole, feta, eggplant salad, tashakshouka sauce hini, pesto, and tuna. The breakfast platter to find decent vegetarian options in the metro the guilt because and topped with lots also comes with two eggs (cooked to your lik— the couple decided to open their own res- it’s meatless! It goes of mozzarella cheese ing), mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions and taurant that highlights authentic Israeli food, perfectly with their homemade, crusty and eggs. This is one topped with mozzarella. pastries, and other treats with a twist. of the best fusion On February 2016, Yuval and Norfar and fluffy ciabbata If you’re feeling full, make some room dishes this writer has for dessert by sipping on some of their house opened Chaplin at Century City Mall in bread and their deliever tasted. Makati. They named their restaurant after cately flavored her“tea” — the perfect combo of cinnamon, Bourekas is a mint, ginger, orange, and honey in some artist Charlie Chaplin, whose comedy they bed butter. And as if the cross between a warm water. enjoyed and believed to be ahead of his time. of French croissant They also chose minimalist interiors, so as not awesomeness If the people of Israel are believed to be Shakshouka isn't and a sandwich. God’s chosen people, then this writer believes to divert the focus away from the food. enough, Chaplin Chaplin’s Bourekas their food is God’s gift to mankind. decided to make a has sliced tomatoes Expat recommends pizza and hardboiled eggs To start your Israeli food appreciation ex- shakshouka Chaplin is located at the 4th level of Century with pesto sauce City Mall in Makati. Open daily, 8:30 a.m. to perience, order a fully loaded pan of Chaplin's to blow us all away. Brunch will never be the same again with between flaky, passignature Shakshouka (available in three dif- The Chaplin Pizza 12:00 a.m. For inquiries, call (02) 946-5335 Waffle Eggs Benedict try bread. It’s served ferent variants). It’s tangy, rich, and absolutely has a thin-crust base
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E X P AT N E W S P A P E R
T R AV E L
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
Eats always a great time in Iloilo City
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How Iloilo City’s delicious delicacies reveal the history and rich culture of the Ilonggos
uring our two-day tour of Iloilo City courtesy of Seda Atria, we found out that Ilonggo cuisine is one of the most interesting culinary discoveries you’ll find in the Philippines. It is a mixture of both Spanish and Malay influences, creating a unique regional flavor that makes it stand out from the rest. Aside from being rich in cultural heritage and history (it is a heritage lover’s dream), Iloilo City is a treasure trove of hole-in-thewall culinary gems and classic dishes. It is adventurous yet inviting, its flavors familiar and comforting, yet above par. It’s a bit difficult to explain in words, so we’ll try to explain it with mouthwatering photos instead and give you a list of places on where best to try them.
city, the warm and filling bowl of egg, noodles, innards, and a myriad of aromatic toppings became a staple in local merienda (afternoon snack) sessions. Netong’s recipe hasn’t changed since they opened in the 1940s, according to their operations manager Patrick Guillergan — the third generation of the family to own the business. There’s no right or wrong way to eat batchoy, so long as you enjoy it to your filling. Although based on experience, if by the end of it, you’re not filled with batchoy goodness, you’re doing it wrong.
Netong’s La Paz Batchoy Inside the La Paz Public Market, La Paz Netong’s is said to be the creators of the now famous Ilonggo dish: batchoy. Created decades ago to feed the train workers in the
Madge’s Café Inside the La Paz Public Market, La Paz Madge’s Café inside the La Paz Public Market is proof that designer coffee is nothing but a complete rip off!
Baked Talaba with Cheese from Breakthrough
Text and photos by CHING DEE
The iconic Madge Café inside La Paz Market
For PhP45 (less than US$1), you can get a tall cup of iced chocolate drink made from real, locally made tablea (pure cocoa tablets). It’s not overwhelmingly sweet, it’s brewed while you wait, and it is the perfect way to beat the afternoon heat when going around Iloilo City. Deocampo’s Barquillos Sta. Isabel, Jaro Mang Jun makes those crispy cylinders of milky goodness with the finesse only a 15year barquillos veteran could muster. With a simple flick of his wrist and a wave of his wand (aka spatula), he makes thin wafers and rolls it around stainless steel cylinders to make the barquillos. We got to taste freshly made barquillos, still warm from the flat pan, as we roamed
The Yusay-Consing Mansion was restored and now houses a store for native products
around the store for more pasalubong (souvenirs/snacks) to buy. It is a must to bring home packs of these cylindrical wafers because it is perfect with your morning or afternoon coffee or as an added crunch to ice cream. Camiña Balai Nga Bato Villa Arevalo District Inside a beautifully preserved stone house from the 1860s is a museum-slash-restaurant. At the ground floor is the museum with a weaving loom, a workshop and a store making and selling authentic batirol (steel pitchers for making authentic chocolate drinks) and batidor (wooden mixer), and a myriad of other local and religious items. The second level houses the restaurant, which serves the best Molo Soup (chicken wanton soup) and Tsokolate Eh (thick hot chocolate made from authentic tablea) in the city. At first we thought the mamon tostado (toasted bread) and biscocho (twice-baked
Iloilo's pride Sinamak (spiced vinegar)
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E X P AT N E W S P A P E R NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
T R AV E L
Simple yet delicious Steamed Prawns from Breakthrough
Misto's Signature Banana Bread
Molo Soup from Camiña Balai Nga Bato
Local salad from Misto at Seda Atria
biscuit) were for the tsokolate eh, but as it turns out, it’s the perfect accompaniment for the Molo Soup. You can never go wrong with salty and sweet, my friend. Breakthrough Restaurant Villa Arevalo District Breakthrough Restaurant is already one of the major stops at any Iloilo City tour and there’s a great reason behind it—they serve the best and the freshest seafood in the city. Make sure to dip your fish or shrimp on some Sinamak, their local spiced vinegar, also known as that magic elixir that makes you break your diet. Misto at Seda Atria Seda Atria Hotel, Pison Road
Netong's original La Paz Batchoy
Seda Atria recently celebrated their first anniversary in Iloilo City by hosting a Mardi Gras-themed party last September with a lipsmacking buffet that showcased the best of Ilonggo cuisine, Mediterranean fare, and more international treats courtesy of their executive chef Shabab “Boo” Hesni — who’s half Ilonggo and half Persian. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to enjoy great food at Misto. Chef Boo and his team makes sure they serve only the best items every single day. Two days and one belly are definitely not enough to explore all the goodness that Iloilo City has to offer. So better make sure you book that next trip — soon!
Molo Church
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E X P AT N E W S P A P E R
EVENTS
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
Las Fiestas Patrias of Chile Text and photos by VIA BAROMA
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undreds of well-wishers came to New World Makati Hotel’s ballroom to join the festivities of the 206th anniversary of the Republic of Chile last Sept. 19. For this year’s Chilean National Day, Chilean Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza hosted the Fiestas Patrias of Chile— a two-pronged celebration in honor of Sept. 18, which commemorates the proclamation of the First Governing Body in 1810, marking the beginning of the Chilean Independence; and Sept. 19, the “Day of the Glories of the Army.” Despite Chile being one of the farthest diplomatic postings at the Department of Foreign Affairs, the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Chile remain strong. For his part, Chilean Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza feted the close
Argentinian Ambassador Roberto Bosch and Miguel Realmonte
Costa Rican Consul Fausto Preysler and Monaco Consul Fortune Ledesma
Gambia Consul Agnes Huibonhoa and Monaco Consul Fortune Ledesma
partnership between Chile and the Philippines, highlighting the similarities of both nations as Spanish colonies, their predomint Christianity, and the frequent occurrence of natural disasters with both countries are located in the Ring of Fire. “As we celebrate the 70 strong years of the diplomatic relations between our two countries this year, we reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to continue working hand in hand with Chile towards stronger and more productive partnership particularly in trade and investment, disaster risk reduction, tourism and cultural promotion, education and other mutually beneficial areas,” DFA Assistant Secretary Celia Anna Feria said in her remarks. Diplomatic relations between Chile and the Philippines began in 1854 when Chile opened a consulate in Manila.
Chilean Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza was joined by DFA Assistant Secretary Celia Anna Feria and Ambassador Christian Anthony Vihruri of Papua New Guinea for a ceremonial toast
First Secretary Marlyn Naters of Venezuela; Mme. Sanhueza; Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza of Chile; and Venezuelan Ambassador Capaya Rodriguez Gonzalez
Togo Consul Evie Costa and Connie Garcia
Msgr. Kryspin Dubiel and Spanish Ambassador Luis Calvo
Chilean Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza delivers his remarks during the 206th Independence day of Chile at the Ballroom of New World Makati Hotel
Chito Sobrepeña and Argentinian Ambassador Roberto Bosch
Mme. Sanhueza; Chilean Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza; and Ambassador Christian Anthony Vihruri of Papua New Guinea
Mme. Sylvia Van Remoortele; Belgian Ambassador Roland Van Remoortele; Monaco Consul Fortune Ledesma; Connie Garcia; and Former Philippine Amb. to Russia Victor Garcia
Mme. Sanhueza and Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza of Chile
Singaporean Ambassador Kok Li Peng and Thailand Ambassador Thanatip Upatising
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E X P AT N E W S P A P E R NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
EVENTS
Lexus at full throttle Lexus has recently unveiled its newest masterwork – the flagship LC, which was inspired by the highly celebrated concept car, the LF-LC. At an exclusive preview event hosted by the brand, Toyota Motor Philippines vice chairman Alfred Ty, president Satoru Suzuki, and Lexus Manila Inc. president Danny Isla proudly introduced the fuel-efficient version of the high-performance LC500. The LC is a future addition to the Lexus lineage, which also represents a shift in the company’s engineering processes and design ideologies, and signals the dawn of a new era for the brand. With this latest installment in an already impressive lineup of luxury vehicles, automobile enthusiasts will once again experience the future of Lexus at full throttle.
Arthur Young and Benjamin Bitanga
Danny Isla, Ravi Uttamchandani, and Walter Uy
(From left) Lexus Manila, Inc.’s EVP Yuichiro Suzuki, operations executive officer Raymond Rodriguez, chairman Alfred Ty, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation president Satoru Suzuki, Lexus Manila, Inc. president Danny Isla, and Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation SVP for Marketing Division and Lexus brand champion Jose Ariel Arias
Raymond Rodriguez, Benjamin Bitanga, your columnist, Alfred Ty, and Rene Golangco
Toyota Dealer Association president Rene So, Danny Isla, Rommel Regino, Lexus Manila, Inc. Lexus sales consultant Rachel Fabregas, Agnes Rodriguez, Ramon Diosdado, Joshua Rodriguez, and Lexus Ma- Engineer Mariano See Diet, Alfred Ty, and architect Jose Siao Ling nila, Inc. operations executive officer Raymond Rodriguez sales manager Gabriel Sobrepeña, and Jason Sze
Ailene Litonjua, Carmen Camille Katigbak, Dea Rubio, Anna Rodriguez, and Lexus sales consultant Zoriel Valenzuela
Raffy Ocampo, Simon Heo, and Raymond Rufino
Filipino composer Louie Ocampo is impressed by the LC 500h’s sleek interior
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E X P AT N E W S P A P E R
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
ARTS & CULTURE
Compiled by VIA BAROMA
EXHIBITS
•Transmutation / Dark Bloom Ongoing until Nov. 8; NOVA Gallery Manila, Warehouse 12A, La Fuerza Compound, 2241 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati; for more information, call (02) 659-3697 Transmutation / Dark Bloom tackles the breaking and suffering of our soul to transform our inner “Lead” into our own “Gold” or True Self, our Soul. The show also discusses that it is merely what we go through during those times in which we feel powerless, confused, disheartened, and afraid. Every individual's reaction to a “Darkbloom” event differs—one person may sink into depression and want to be left alone, while another may reject what's happening and fight fiercely to prevent change. There are others who might recognize that this event is actually an opportunity to let go of past conditioning, beliefs, and traumas, deciding to surrender, without judgment or denial, to whatever they are experiencing. Transmutation / Dark Bloom also signifies the difficulties man has to overcome on his journey through the underworld. This process is sometimes called ‘blacker than the blackest black’. Inspired by the dark side of our natural world, alchemy, ancient magic and old symbols, artists Roman and Angelo Padilla will try to answer these burning questions by presenting you a collection of dark and dramatic sculptures, detailed ink illustrations and haunting paintings that will surely encourage the Dark Bloom within all of us.
•The Unknown Images by MJ Suayan Ongoing until Nov. 9; Pineapple Lab, 6071 R. Palma St., Barangay Poblacion, Makati; for more information, call (02) 834-5763, (0917) 498-2125 or email info@pineapplelab.ph Rising fashion and art photographer, MJ Suayan, opens his first solo exhibit dubbed as “The Unknown Images” at Pineapple Lab, showcasing 27 classically beautiful portraits in collaboration with the country’s top fashion and accessory designers. In “The Unknown Images,” Suayan challenges the subjective dream of beauty. “Our selfimage is constantly bombarded from every angle. People, fashion and media industries tell us constantly how we should look, creating subconscious beliefs about who we are. Those opinions become the dream of what we should be without our conscious knowledge of permission. With images of ideal beauty, it is easy to forget that those standards are arbitrary and subjective,” Suayan explains. His works concentrate on the dark undertones – his signature as an artist. The touch of glitch, noise, blurriness, and imperfections in his pictures tell us that beauty isn’t about perfection but rather about our constant dialogue with perfection. Suayan showcases his creative vision of what fashion photography has the power to become: an artistic form that wrestles with beauty, challenges its notions, and writhes all on its own. His images hover somewhere between a painting and a photograph; between what is made by man and what is made by machine; between depictions of real bodies and the stirrings of a fantastic imagination.
MUSIC
• Eduardo Fernández with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Nov. 11 at 8 p.m., Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater; for more information, contact the CCP Box Office at (02) 8323704 (02) 832 or TicketWorld at (02) (891-9999) Eduardo Fernández, one of the world’s leading guitarists, will perform for the first time with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) under the baton of Japanese conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura on Nov. 11. The concert, which is the third of the PPO 2016-2017 series, is held with the support of the Embassy of Spain. The program includes works of Spanish composers such as El amor brujo of Manuel de Falla, Concierto de Aranjuez of Joaquín Rodrigo, Intermezzo from Goyescas of Enrique Granados and another from La boda de Luis Alonso of Gerónimo Giménez, and Guitar Concerto in D of Antonio Vivaldi. Fernández is recognized as one of today’s leading guitarists. After winning prizes in several international competitions, the most notable being the 1972 Porto Alegre (Brazil) and 1975 Radio France (Paris) competitions, he won the first prize of the 1975 Andrés Segovia Competition in Mallorca (Spain). His New York debut in 1977 won critical accolades, being described as "A top guitarist... Rarely has this reviewer heard a more impressive debut recital on any instrument" (Donal Henahan, The New York Times). Maestro Fukumura has conducted notable orchestras in Japan, many parts of Asia and Latin America, where he spent more than 25 years of his career, becoming fluent in the Spanish language. Since 1995 he has been honorary conductor of the Cuba National Symphony. The Tokyo-born conductor has for some years devoted himself to helping create new orchestras in Asia and as music director of the PPO seeks to make this symphony orchestra one of the top five in the region.
•Peter Moosgaard: Supercargo Ayoke Ongoing until Nov. 18, 1335 A. Mabini St., Ermita, Manila; for more information, call (02) 254-8498 or (0917) 704-2962; email info@1335mabini.com Peter Moosgaard’s work revolves around the sacred quest for "Supercargo” – a messianic freight that will be summoned by rudimentary replicas of artworks, products and commodities. The term is the derived from “cargo cult,” a ritualistic occurrence arising from contact between indigenous inhabitants and colonizing figures, manifested through the imitation of foreign goods (cargo) by the natives, with the belief that such creations would bring material wealth. Moosgaard’s objective has always been to challenge notions of originality and authenticity by mimicking objects of a certain global attraction. During his two-month residency at The Unifiedfield Nomadic Artist-Residency Program in the Philippines, the artist re-contextualized the German Bauhaus on Ayoke, a tiny island off the coast of the archipelago facing the Pacific Ocean. He reconstructed Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous "Fallingwater" in the jungle, painted Lothar Schreyers "Totenbett der Frau" on a bed sheet, carved Bauhaus designs on coconuts, and built modernist chairs from native materials. Moosgaard repeated turn of the 20th century designs and studies from Europe in an almost ritualistic, shamanic way – not only questioning notions of the modern and the "pre-modern" (Bruno Latour), but also testing the early modernist ambition to create a "universal language."
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E X P AT N E W S P A P E R
F E AT U R E S
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
St. James Bazaar marks 25th year
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he biggest Christmas market bazaar will be for the benefit of the south of Manila, the annual St. James Parish Foundation, Inc., a St. James Bazaar, has become supporting organization whose puran annual prime shopping event. pose has been to build the commuFrom Nov. 24 to 27, more than 500 nity parish church and its supporting concessionaires will gather under structure. huge tents at the St. James Parking St. James Bazaar was established Lot and at the Cuenca Community in 1991 to raise money to build St. Center in Ayala Alabang Village. James the Great Parish Church in Manufacturers, exporters and Ayala Alabang Village, whose archiartisans from various regions will tecture was inspired by the grand be offering Christmas accessories, churches in Europe. The project was home décor, local and imported completed in 1995. Over the years, fashion accessories, jewelry, export the income from bazaar has allowed overruns, artworks, natural personal the foundation to acquire the St. care products to satisfy the Metro’s James Parking Lot on Cuenca St. cor. holiday shopping fix. Nasugbu, one of the bazaar venues. Those looking for good grub to The earnings also funded the air conrefuel before, during and after shiopditioning system of the main church ping can stroll to the Food Pavilion and the construction of the St James which is participated in by such Parish Rectory Annex for the parish popular food outlets as Amici, Bar- (L-R) Co-Chair Nikki Valerio, Chairperson Mimi Valerio, St. James Parish Priest Msgr. Allen Aga- priest and the church’s employees’ rio Fiesta, Brothers Burger, Army quarters. non, St. James Foundation President Manny Gonzales, Edza Gonzales and Titang Montinola Navy, Ineng’s Special Bbq, Ellies St. James Bazaar is supported by Roasted Calf, H-Cuisine, Odd Purefoods Hotdogs, Petron, Tent major prizes will be given away everyday. from the bazaar venue to the parking area. Balls, Cheesesteak Shop, Pastor's Pub and Unlike other bazaars wherein customThe Bazaar Committee is composed of World, Bibingkinitan, AC Corporation, Saibachi, to name a few, which are comple- ers pay cash, St. James makes shopping chairpersons Mimi Valerio and daughter Diamond Rent a Car, Buenaflor Insurance, mented by hommade gourmet delicacies, easier by allowing customers to pay with Nikki Valerio; St. James Foundation presi- Pronto Auto Services and Play & organic produce and exotic fruits—all Mastercard and Visa, or withdraw cash dent Manny Gonzales; parish priest Msgr. Display. Pepsi is the bazaar’s official perfect gift ideas. from the UCPB Mobile ATM and other Allen Aganon, Edza Gonzales and Titang drink. The bazaar is enlivened with other ATMs. The bazaar also has the added con- Montinola. activities such as games and raffles where venience of free shuttle service provided All the revenues from this four-day
Jingle Jam tickets now available for 3rd annual charity event
BCCP gathers business leaders
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he British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) successfully organised the Philippine Trade Summit: Exploring Opportunities for Sustained Growth in the Philippines last Oct. 18. 2016 in Makati. Business leaders shared industry insights and economic projections in the next five years at the event which was attended by top business executives and de-
cision makers. The Summit is one of the highlights of BCCP’s Trade Mission to the Philippines for UK companies. A number of companies came to the Philippines on Oct. 18 to 20 to explore business opportunities and meet relevant contacts. Participating companies came from the aerospace, energy, food and drink, skincare, and tech industries.
(L-R) Trade Lawyers Partner Atty. Tony Abad, Globe CTIO Gil Genio, DTI Director Senen Perlada, Former NEDA Chief Cielito Habito, BCCP Chairman Chris Nelson, Philex Mining Corp. SVP Atty. Mike Toledo, and PFA Chairman Emeritus Samie Lim
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ince pies, roast turkey, good wine, awesome prizes and one of Philippines top saxophonists, Alvin Cornista, together with DJ Herbie Walton are being lined up this year for the annual Jingle Jam Charity Christmas Party in support for ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purpose) to be held at Fashion Interiors in Makati, on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. Entrance to the event is PhP2,200 per person, inclusive of traditional Christmas dinner, roast turkey and all the trimmings; free flowing wine (sponsored by Wine Club) and beer; live saxophone music with house beats; and the opportunity to win prizes by entering our raffles, which include a chance
to win a five-star holiday in Thailand. There will also be chances to participate in a silent auction for some beautiful furniture pieces donated by Fashion Interiors. People are invited to wear Christmas colors, red white and green in order to keep it festive. History The event started three years ago as a way for expat friends to get together before the holidays and do something good for the community in which they thrive. This has turned into an annual event that has raised already more than PhP300,000 – helping to fund children’s schools, medical bills and contributing to fighting for the justice they deserve. “Its a really fun evening – It is important
for the expat community to become aware of these issues which are quite a taboo subject here in the Philippines. People get to jingle and mingle while doing something great with the money they were going to spend drinking anyway. Christmas is all about giving, so come along, bring your Christmas cheer and lets raise some money to get these youngsters off the streets and into safe homes.” said Rachel King, founder of the event. “Plus, Alvin is an amazing performer – he really has the knack for getting the crowd up dancing to his modern style house sax music – He has performed worldwide, been signed for universal records and won multiple music awards – so we are very lucky to have him play for us”.
King is an expat living and working in the Philippines for the last five years. This is a completely not for profit event done with the purpose of benefitting ECPAT Philippines. About ECPAT ECPAT stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes. Since 1991, ECPAT Philippines has worked on combating the issue of CSEC through extensive networking and lobbying for reform in legislation and policy. ECPAT Philippines has actively participated in the making of important laws that aid in the prosecution of criminals associated with commercial sexual exploitation.
E X P AT N E W S P A P E R
NOVEMBER 6-26, 2016
U R BA N S C E N E
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Compiled by VIA BAROMA
CONCERTS
•Alex Band, The Calling Live in Manila
Nov. 11, Mall of Asia Arena, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City; tickets are available at www. smtickets.com and all SM Ticket outlets nationwide Alex Band and The Calling come to the Philippines for the first time ever this November. Sing your hearts out to the alternative anthems of The Calling as they perform hits such as “Stigmatized,” “Adrianne,” “Could It Be Any Harder,” “Our Lives,” and the videoke favorite “Wherever You Will Go,” which was dubbed by Billboard 100 as the Song of the Decade and No. 3 Greatest Adult Pop Song of All Time. Tickets are priced at PhP6,900 for VIP; PhP5,800 for Patron; PhP3,900 for Lower Box; PhP2,400 for Upper Box; and PhP940 for General Admission.
•Vienna Boys Choir Live in Manila Nov. 11, PICC Plenary Hall, CCP Complex, Pasay City; for more information, visit www.picc.gov.ph Internationally renowned Vienna Boys Choir comes back to Manila after 12 years just in time for the pre-holiday vibe for a onenight only concert this November. Presented by the Alumni Association of Xavier School and the Austrian Embassy in Manila, the Vienna Boys Choir is considered as one of the oldest choirs in the world and is best known for their sopranos and altos. The Vienna Boys Choir is composed of 100 choristers between the ages of 10 to 14 from Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the Philippines. For their concert in Manila, the group will arrive with Choirmaster Manolo Cagnin and Prefects Andrea Zimmermann and Christian Böhm. Tickets are priced at PhP10,450 for Price Zone 1; PhP8,360 for Price Zone 2; PhP5,225 for Price Zone 3; PhP2,612.50 for Price Zone 4; PhP1,567.50 for Price Zone 5; PhP1,045 for Price Zone 6; and PhP522.50 for Price Zone 7.
•Unleashed 7 Nov. 12; Mall of Asia Concert Grounds, Pasay City; Tickets are available at all SM Ticket outlets nationwide; for ticket inquiries, visit www.smtickets.com or call (02) 4702222 One of the most successful rave festival series returns in Manila for its 7th installment. Prepare to get turnt with a night of electric performances from artists led by American DJ and producer Borgeous, along with some of Metro Manila's finest—Mars Miranda, Martin Pulgar, Jessica Milner, Kat DJ, Katsy Lee, Marc Marasigan, Travis Monsod, Carlo Atendido, Aaron Atayde, Ron Thug, Roda King and many more! Tickets are priced at PhP1,000 when bought at the gate and PhP800 for its regular rate until Nov. 11.
BAZAAR
•Paleo Marketplace Christmas Fair Nov. 7 to 11; 14 to 17; 21 to 25; 27 to 29; Fairview Terraces Ayala Center; for more information, call (0917) 582-5873 or email paleomarketplace.ph@ gmail.com The metro is sure to be filled with bazaars of all shapes and sizes as the holiday season approaches. Promising to be a realm of enterprises that offers a great deal of variety for both foodies and shopaholics—Paleo Marketplace Christmas Fair, one of the megacity’s newest marketplaces, caters to shoppers in the far north of Metro Manila.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
• Enchanted
Kingdom Anniversary Treat Ongoing until Nov. 13; Enchanted Kingdom, San Lorenzo South Village, Sta. Rosa, Laguna; for more information, call (02) 584-3535 or visit www.enchantedkingdom.com The Philippines’ first and only world-class theme park, Enchanted Kingdom, offers exciting promos as it celebrates 21 years of creating magical experiences through wholesome entertainment and family-friendly leisure activities. Experience the frightful Ghostbuster Adventure Live! and take a trip down spooky lane at Enchanted Kingdom. This slimy, spooky, haunted attraction features unforgettable sets and scenes from the latest installment of the Hollywood blockbuster film. Enchanted Kingdom is also treating all students on semestral break to a special promo where they can get to experience the magic with a Regular Day Pass ticket and Free EK Agila Tumbler for only PhP480. Simply present your valid school ID at the front gate to avail of the promo, which runs until Nov. 13.
EXPO
•Romeo and Juliet: The Musical Nov. 4 to 13; St. Cecilia’s Hall, St. Scholastica’s College, Manila; tickets are available at all TicketWorld outlets; for ticket inquiries, call (02) 8919999 When two young members of feuding families meet, forbidden love ensues. The classic Shakespeare work will be staged by maintaining the classic requirement of the play from costumes to the set. The music is composed through a fusion of western and eastern with contemporary flavor. Romeo and Juliet is simplified without sacrificing the original texts of Shakespeare to let young adults understand or comprehend on how the play is written. In the play, dialogues are sung with full observance of how the phrases are being read. Tickets are priced at PhP522.50