ILLUSTRADO Magazine Feb 2007 by Illustrado Magazine

The Magazine for the International Filipino

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FEBRUARY 2007

LOVE

EDITOR’S NOTE

LOVE

International act Cirque du Soleil came to town, and instead of being mesmerized by their riveting superhuman performance, what was most remarkable was how the Filipino staff talked proudly about the sole Pinay cast member – Anna Vicente, to anybody who would care to listen. The world-renowned Bayanihan dancers held a dazzling gala at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, but even more amazing than their brilliant repertoire was how close to a thousand Filipinos (some of them teens who never experienced growing up in our homeland), excitedly cheered them on. And for the last couple of weeks, the best ‘spam’ being mailed out en masse by Pinoys in the UAE are letters published in a local English daily, about the praises showered on our kababayans by other nationalities. Do we Filipinos love our own? In the fast paced life in the Gulf, where most of us are running for success, competing neck-and-neck, and trying very hard to emulate western values to get noticed, it’s not surprising that at times, there is very little love shown between fellow kababayans – talk about good old ‘crab mentality’, intriga, lokohan, isnaban, etc., etc., etc. But the funny thing about being a Filipino is that it’s something that you just can’t shake off – even if you don’t want to show it. It’s that craving for tuyo or danggit even if you can afford to eat haute cuisine. It’s shifting to your Bisaya, Ilokano or Bulakeño drawl when you talk to old friends, inspite of your mastery of the American English twang. Most importantly, it’s that ounce of national pride and belongingness that swells within when you hear of kababayans making us all proud with their accomplishments. With this issue’s ‘love’ theme, Illustrado celebrates the Filipino penchant for romance in The Pinoy Mating Game, and takes you to dreamy venues in Tagaytay and Hatta, while whetting your appetite for food for lovers in Boracay’s Aphrodisiac Treats. Onto a different type of love altogether, we talk about exemplary family love in Illustrado Profile, while in Almost Filipino - a respected Palestinian poet is enamored with our very own people. Featured fashion designer Butz Fuentes talks about his love for designing and even our favorite ‘Pinay-in-the–city’ Annie B, gets a taste of love (or so it seems) in this month’s wacky chronicle episode! This issue also brings you our first-ever Kabuhayan column – a substantial section that delves into money matters, livelihood and investing, equipping you, dear Illustrados, with useful information on how to further enhance your finances and secure the future of your loved ones. This month’s Illustrado is all about love - rolled into our undeniable love for the Filipino way of life. So do we Filipinos love our own? The resounding answer is yes we do… What makes the difference is how we acknowledge it and share it.

Taas Noo, Filipino! Lalaine Chu-Benitez Publisher and Editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Send your letters to: editor@illustrado.net

EPYphany

Barong Pride

Thank you for featuring Epy in your Jan fashion and celebrity feature. It’s really great that you see a different angle on things – not the usual stuff we came to expect from Filipino magazines. Alternative is good.

Just got hold of the Jan ish and you have outdone yourself (again!) Nice take on the barong, I loved it! It would be really nice if we can actually market our ‘humble’ barong to make it ‘funky and bad’ hahhhahhahhahaha......

Epy is a cool guy with a lot of talent. He’s an artist in his own right, not just the son of Dolphy. Yes! He’s very Illustrado.

Cheers! Dong Dubai

Please keep giving us cool stuff. Eager for more, Cedric Y Sharjah

Proud to be Pinoy, Mabuhay kayo, Illustrado! Ang galing talaga ng Pilipino! Walang tatalo!

□

Roman Cruz Abu Dhabi

Coconuter Fan I’m a fan of David Coconuter. I saw him on TV in Nagmamahal Kapamilya. I also read his blog on the Internet regularly. I admire his bravery to go back to the Philippines and live his life in the countryside to appreciate the simple things. I hope he finds happiness there. Thank you for featuring his story. Your avid reader, Mona Alcaraz Dubai

Pinoy Mean Business Happy New Year! After reading the January issue, I honestly cannot wait for the Feb issue. The articles are very inspiring, most especially the feature on entrepreneurship and successful business ventures of our fellow Filipinos. Sometimes, you get discouraged because there is so much competition out there, new ideas popping everywhere but when you read success stories, it gets you back on you feet and gets your creative juices going-drawing up ideas on how to make your business idea even better than the ones that we already have. Although, I feel quite bad as I scored very low on the quiz on how much of an astig I am. ☹ Anyways, all the best and looking forward to the Feb issue. With best regards, Anna de Leon Dubai

Through the looking glass I don’t know what it is exactly that I feel towards your magazine but I know I am proud of what you have started here. You’ve looked at the positive traits of Filipinos at a time when people are seemingly losing sight of who we are, in truth - loving, hospitable, and very caring people. I look forward to reading your upcoming issues. Mabuhay ang Pilipino! Shayla Hembrador Dubai

Thanx a mill for this great mag! My friends and I are always waiting for your new issue. Reading Illustrado makes us feel good and proud to be Filipinos. I showed Illustrado to my officemates and they could not believe and imagine that we Filipinos are so good and smart! They keep on asking me if it’s true. Of course we are! Congratulations and keep up the great work! Luv, Nina Marie Abu Dhabi

SUBSCRIPTION

Publisher & Editor Lalaine Chu-Benitez Associate Editor Ina Elle Crisostomo Art Directors Paula Lorenzo Ron Perez Contributing Writers Philippines Carlito Viriña David Llorito Bernadette Reyes Lisa Cruz Mike Martin Jan La’O David Poarch United Arab Emirates Maripaz Febrero Giselle Estrada Dawn Almario Sonny de Guzman Antonella Andrada Jonie Jose United Kingdom Cecile Samson-Aquino Contributing Photographers Philippines Ben Chan United Arab Emirates Pot Ph Joel Guerrero Contributing Stylist Zekundo Chu Advertising & Retail Sales Michael Maguigad Ryan Iñigo Publisher Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC 2nd Floor, Building 2 P.O. Box 72280 Office 20C Dubai Media City, U.A.E. Tel: + 9714 365 4547 Fax: + 9714 360 4771 email: admin@illustrado.net Website: illustrado.net Distributors Emirates Printing, Publishing & Distribution Co. Dubai Media City, U.A.E. Printers Delta Printing Press L.L.C. P.O. Box 37140 Dubai, U.A.E. Copyright Illustrado Communications 2006. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC

CONTENTS Features

The Pinoy Mating Game 6 The Dance as We Knew it is Dead 9 People Power Through Micro-Credit 12

Columns

Famous Filipinos 14 Kabuhayan – Money, Assets and Investing 27 Wish You Were Here 33 Coconuter 36 Community Spotlight 56 Filipinisms : Filipinaisms 60 The Annie B.(Batobalani) Chronicles 61 Usapang Kanto: Uso pa ba ang ligaw? 66

Fashion

Recto-Verso 16 Designer Profile: Butz Fuentes 25

Arts & Culture

Designing Filipino 38

People & Places

Illustrado Profile: The Tajanlangits 34

Almost Filipino: Daoud Tahboub 37 Pinoy Planet: Selamat Datang, Indonesia 48 Bakasyon Grande: Tagaytay Getaway 50 Manila Tripping: Pier One 53 Pinoy About Town: Hatta 54 Face of the Month: Bernadette Lindstrom 59

Food & Entertainment Boracay’s Aphrodisiac Treats 62

Sam Milby and Denise Laurel 64 Manila’s Hot Releases 68

Rachel Soriano, Bb. Pilipinas World ‘98, graces Illustrado’s fashion feature this month.

CONTRIBUTORS

DAVID LLORITO

BEN PARCO

JOVY TUAñO

Ben Parco is a Dubai-based Insurance specialist who has been working full-time in the insurance and financial services industry since 1990. He’s been a member of Million Dollar Round Table, U.S.A. (an elite international network of leading insurance and investment financial services professionals/advisors) for the past four years, and a Holder of Financial Advisers International Qualification (FAIQ) Certificate from the Chartered Insurance Institute, U.K.

A jazz aficionado at heart and an active advocate of Pinoy entrepreneurship in the UAE, Jovy Tuaño is the Chairman of the Philippine Business Council of Abu Dhabi, and Managing Director of Asia Gulf Trading & Commercial Brokerage in Abu Dhabi. Jovy also represents several prestigious Philippine-based real estate developers in the UAE.

In his free time, Ben is an active community leader and plays the role of Adviser to the Filipino Chess League in the UAE, and is also involved in fellowship endeavors of his evangelical community in Sharjah.

David Llorito is a researcher at the Business Mirror, a Manila-based daily newspaper. He has more than a decade of experience in socio-economic research, policy analysis and business-economy journalism in the Philippines. Dave is a recipient of the Jaime Ongpin Award for Excellence in Journalism (Explanatory Category) and the Australian Ambassador’s Choice Award 2006, for his story on globalization and the transformation of labor-management relations in the Philippines. He enjoys blogging, drinking coffee, writing poetry and walking in the rain.

YENG S. LIM

YEN S. LIM-GALAGNARA Yen writes for one of Manila’s biggest and longest-running scholastic press. She’s also a head teacher for a language center that caters mainly to Koreans; and writes and edits lifestyle features and inspirational books. In between her hectic literary schedule, Yen finds the time to be with family and fire. The skinhead look is a disguise. She ain’t no rocker when it comes to music, but mind you, she’d rock the world as she miraculously balances all her passions in life.

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Shopaholic Yeng Lim wrote for several educational publications in Manila for two years and worked for one of the nation’s leading newspapers for four years. She’s currently an online travel editor, and contributes lifestyle articles to magazines and broadsheets in Manila, while doing a little of PR writing on the side. Being a licensed teacher, Yeng is also an author for one of Manila’s biggest and longest-running scholastic press. Now, with a variety of work at hand, Yen proudly says that she’s a mistress to all, but remains faithful to one partner in crime — and that’s her sister, Yen – the other half of the team, Yen&Yeng.

ANDRÉ PEÑANO A veteran in the field of visual mechandising, Andy is a familiar face in the Dubai Filipino fashion industry. He’s also a former fashion stylist for Dubai Television, and now has lent us his expertise in model casting and coordination for this issue’s fashion feature.   BASIL YUNTING Hair and Make-Up Stylist – Basil is a mainstay of the Dubai and Manila fashion scene, and has worked with famous faces in the modeling and showbiz industries. Basil was also involved in fashion design and was a winner at the Bridal Design Competition in Dubai in 2002.

DONG DIMAL Pinoy Planet conributor Dong Dimal is a BS Architecture graduate from UST. He is a strong believer of the laws of karma, and your typical Cancerian – emotional and creative. He believes that to be entirely human, “one must have his heart, not his mind, as the center of his soul.” Dong also believes that happiness doesn’t come in minted form, and has always been guided by inspiration rather than by the material.

FEATURE

The Pinoy Mating Game By Lalaine Chu-Benitez Photography by Joel Guerrero and Mac Antonio

It’s virtually everywhere in the Philippines. It’s on TV - in cheesy telenovelas, noontime shows, comedies, even in the latest ‘sigha-minute’ movie. It’s drifting in the airwaves as ‘senti’ ballads or packaged ‘alternative’ but still equally emotionally charged numbers. You see it everywhere - couples huddling close on the sidewalks, in buses and jeepneys, in schools, parks, in the malls, and coffee shops. It has even ‘infected’ the cyber realm (remember the I LOVE YOU virus created by a Pinoy techie?) and filtered through the country’s numero uno communication obsession – SMS. For a country that celebrates Valentine’s Day just once a year, we seem to be a nation bitten by the love bug the whole 365 days. It’s undisputable - Pinoys are the most romantic people in Asia. Illustrado 6

A Nation of Hopeless Romantics It is very difficult to miss the Pinoy’s fixation with love – romanticism is as ubiquitous in our country as the boiled white rice we chow down three times a day. And as if we needed the validation of statistics to verify this state of affairs, interesting survey data from the Social Weather Stations (SWS) confirm our hunch all along.

For starters, the belief in romantic love is very common among Filipinos, with the huge majority (74%) believing in ‘love at first sight’, and 84% believing in finding their one true love. In a country where economic and political struggles are daily bread, a considerable number of our compatriots still seem to view the world through rose-colored lenses.

FEATURE freely with gusto, as nonchalantly as if in a cooking demo on national television, a lot of us still believe in the notion of ligawan or courtship. Traditions dictate that Filipinos are supposed to court their ‘lady love’ and please the parents. Pinays are supposed to be pakipot, or at least convey that they are ‘hard to get’. But with the advent of the Internet age and dangerously low-rise jeans, with the explosion of chat, Friendster and Britney Spears’ lurid paparazzi images via e-mail, the Pinoy mating culture has changed drastically, but not without its built-in ambiguities. A Pinoy player in the game of love these days would definitely have to thread cautiously to strike the right balance between being smartly liberated versus being outright tactless and cheap. Is chivalry still expected from Pinoys when women are so liberated? Is it okay for the Pinay to make the first move even if she’s a collegiala? Is it okay for a guy to let the girl pay for a dinner date? Can a couple do PDA (Public Display of Affection) whenever, wherever? Can a person with a M.U. (Mutual Understanding) relationship still date other people? Is parental blessing as important? Does a serious relationship have to end up in marriage? Endless questions… oh the pangs of romantic of love!

Virginia, there are still Pinoys who believe that they can live on love alone, in this day and age. Back in 2004, in true romantico style, Mayor Lito Atienza organized the ‘Lovapalooza’ a mass public display of affection, where over 5,000 couples took to the street and simultaneously kissed for at least 10 seconds, earning the Philippines a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. Spearheading the event with his wife Evangeline, the mayor said that the stunt should relieve some of the tension in the Philippines, “We need to relax and forget politics and other national problems from time to time,” he said. He also remarked, “Filipinos are very affectionate, Manileños in particular,” but was quick to add, in respect of the ‘conservative culture’, that the public kissing event would be restricted to married couples only.

Thankfully for most, beyond the thrill of the romantic chase, majority of Filipinos still believe in the sanctity of marriage. In fact 61% of our compatriots perceive that “married people are generally happier than singles”. While inspite of wide reaching western influence, 50% still say that they disagree with the idea of ‘live-in’ or cohabitation.

Modern or Traditional? Such delectable tug of war between the traditional versus the modern has always been food for discussion in the Philippines – the biggest Catholic nation in Asia, where contradictions lie side-by-side in a titillating combo. In the age of Dr. Margie Holmes, celebrated sex therapist in the Philippines, where the topic of procreation is discussed

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FEATURE

Body or Mind? And even more pleasantly surprising, in answer to an age-old debate and one that always ignites a clash between the sexes, it appears that Pinoys, or at least the large majority, are not as easily swayed by carnal impulses as compared to our western counterparts. According to yet another SWS survey, four out of five (81%) adult Filipinos are more attracted by a person’s brains (versus to about 40% in the west), than by a person’s body. This attraction to brains over body is even higher for Filipinas (86%), with the rating going as high as 92% for single women. So it seems that inspite of the generous display of sexuality in media and on the streets, for that matter, a lot of us still value intelligence and good old ‘personality’ – for real.

Romance in the Age of Diaspora

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must. Amorous Pinoys have to be cautious in public, as simple romantic gestures could be deemed inappropriate, even offensive to other people. The Gulf is a place where a ‘touchy-feely’ event like the ‘Lovapalooza’ can ignite mass repulsion, even mass arrest, instead of the mass enthusiasm seen on Roxas Boulevard. Still, romance goes on in the obvious intimacy between kababayan couples walking hand in hand on the streets, or sitting unusually close in public transportation, within community restaurants with diners spoon-feeding each other, by the beach on weekends where it’s not unusual to see a Pinoy strumming the guitar for his sweetheart, and in the malls and places of work where Side A band’s all time favorite love song Forevermore, among other OPM ballads, is played repeatedly like a national anthem.

In Love with Love

Outside the Philippines, Pinoys of the ‘settling down’ age have an issue to deal with – what demographic experts call the ‘feminization of the OFWs’. For the last five years, there has been a sharp increase in the proportion of female Filipino expats abroad, resulting in our current gender ratio - for every male, there are three females. This is quite an interesting circumstance especially for the male of our species, a tortuous situation, however, for Pinays. How this imbalance in range of romantic options impacts the lives of our male and female kababayans is a thesis in itself.

Maybe it’s because of the trace of hot Latino blood running through our veins or the warm breeze of the islands that make us so prone to amor. Or is it because we were reared within such close-knit family units where we were constantly fed reassuring emotional interdependence – vital nourishment we now crave for as adults? It could be that we’re just plain sentimental fools, or perhaps survivalists for whom eternal optimism is a selfpreservation skill allowing us to go on inspite of life’s challenges, with a smile on our face and a flame in our hearts. But wherever it has come from, whatever the real reason, Pinoys are perpetually in love – and we just love the idea of that.

Equally complex an issue for restless Pinoy singles is how the mating game translates abroad, especially in the conservative milieu of the Gulf where mores are totally different and where cultural sensitivity is a

Pinoy Love Stats • 72% of Filipinos believe in ‘love at first sight’. • 84% believe in having one true love. • 61% of Filipinos believe that “married

FEATURE

by M ichae

Social Networking; Death to the soiree wallflower; I am connected. These are battle cries of the cyber generation. A sea of people who never have to worry about getting dinner dates, ever. Every single one of them has access to cyberspace, either at home, at work, or through the café down the street. Yahoo Chat, Mirc, Cable TV chat, Friendster, My Space, Multiply and Hi5. Watering holes and singles oases? Name it…the list is as unlimited as the boundaries of cyberspace. So what happened? Did we all just blink and found ourselves in some new warped society? No. It’s been an ongoing revolution since las islas de los indios was introduced to the cellular phone, the pre-paid SIM card, and the Internet. The cyber generation has pushed communication, as well as the courtship dance to a place foreign to all of us. This is where old rituals perished. Here in the fiber optic highways of information. Ran over like a deer caught in the headlights. Welcome the Internet age and say goodbye to romance, as you knew it. asl is not some hip new designer brand. It is the initial litmus test a person has to pass through inside a chat room. It stands for age, sex, and location.

l Mar tin

ctc (care to chat?) means you were likeable enough to get noticed. No more hands-behind-your-back, mumbling inaudibles like – “Arrrre you ff-ree this Friday?” Tortuous lines that horrified teens in the late 80s and through the early 90s. eb (eye ball) means that your precious date may not be far off. Kind-of-like those blind date phone pals way back when, only this time you have web cams to help in the screening process; amazing gizmos that reduce the chance of being stood up by a date who was not honest about his/her shirt’s color. Others prefer to browse or build acquaintance/social networks on sites like Friendster and search for individuals with similar interests. Member profiles are uploaded to facilitate the process. If another person responds positively to your profile then you’re in business baby! Your network can play matchmaker for you as well, just in case. Cable TV chat rooms were made possible by the advent of MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). Users take photos of themselves, attach a few lines of text and send it to the cable channel’s number. It works the same way as Internet chat rooms, only more expensive. At five bucks per message, it’s quite a big dent on the budget, but who cares – visuals make choosing a breeze. So is the dance of courtship as we knew it, dead? Indeed it is.

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FEATURE

People power through micro-credit By Dave Llorito

The buzz is all about 555 and people are not talking about a can of sardines. Instead, they are talking about a micro-credit program designed to mobilize PHP5 billion pesos to assist five million entrepreneurs within the next five years.   Former President Corazon Aquino launched this program on 22nd January 2007 and it’s probably the largest single private sector micro-credit program in the country’s history. Called PinoyME or Filipino Micro-Enterprise, this new socioeconomic initiative appears to be gaining popular support from the broad sectors of society. “I realized that people power has to start from the internal dimension. Millions of our countrymen who have been trapped in wretched living conditions for generations have simply been deprived of dignity and hope. The first step in a people-powered anti-poverty strategy,

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therefore, is to unlock the potential of this great mass of Filipinos who have been cut off from the mainstream socio-economic life,” said President Aquino during the launch at the Tiendesitas in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. The program represents a major shift in thinking among the country’s economic elites about the potentials of the poor and marginalized sectors of society as agents of development and progress. For long, managers of banks and financing organizations looked down on the poor as ‘unbankable’. They usually have nothing to offer as collateral. They don’t have stable jobs, nor do they have good resumes. In developing countries like the Philippines, they often derive irregular incomes from ventures such as farming or peddling, economic activities that are considered high-risk and seasonal. They have no credit history that the banks could verify. And yet, Cory and her group are embarking on a program that is certainly risky and yet has the potential of transforming the country’s economy for the better.

FEATURE Organizers of PinoyME believe that through small loans lent by financial institutions, micro-entrepreneurs can earn a decent livelihood and improve their quality of life. Eventually, some of these microenterprises will grow and create jobs in their communities, and the more successful ones can go on to become small and medium enterprises (SMEs). As more and more micro-enterprises grow into SMEs, a strong base for economic growth will emerge. “It’s time to take people power to the next level. We need to fight poverty in a systematic way by mobilizing disadvantaged communities to help themselves with the empowering support of multiple sectors,” said Aquino.   Since Mohammed Yunus recieved a Nobel Prize for the success of the Grameen Bank that he founded in Bangladesh, bankers and financiers all over the world have started to realize that there is business in banking with the poor, especially women.   In fact, bankers these days have started to change their phraseology about microfinance: it’s not the poor are ‘unbankable’, they are simply ‘pre-bankable’ and micro-credit, given factors like adequate social preparation like training in entrepreneurship, value formation, and effective community organizing—could be the best way of bringing them into the mainstream of the country’s financial system. Once, they are able to build ‘track record’, the poor are likely to be as reliable partners of banks as those who do their business from their posh offices along Ayala Avenue in Makati.   Micro-credit programs such as PinoyME are probably the best way to ensure gender equality in the Philippines. Based on the experiences of Yunus’ Grameen Bank as well as other schemes worldwide, microcredit programs are oftentimes focused on women. Why women? It’s because, based on actual experiences, loans extended to women and their projects are likely to benefit the entire family more than when these are extended to men.   Economic and social programs such as this one could help ensure broad-based growth in the Philippines. If it succeeds, it has the potential of uplifting the lives of a least five million poor families all over the country. Some of them may eventually grow into small and medium enterprises, create more jobs in their localities, and transform a lot more lives in the process. In the last twelve quarters, the Philippine economy has been growing at decent growth rates (5-6 % gross domestic product growth rates), driven mostly by robust performances of electronics, outsourcing, and consumption-oriented economic activities buttressed by the dollar remittances of overseas Filipino workers. An initiative such as PinoyME therefore is a good way of complimenting the growth of these sectors, boosting the economy even more.

“By making microfinance more accessible, PinoyME aims to unlock the potential of individual Filipinos, particularly those who have been marginalized and stripped of their dignity by sheer poverty,” adds former Negros Occidental Governor Daniel Lacson who is also one of organizers of PinoyME. “Over the medium to long term, this will also pave the way for better governance as a critical mass of citizens is empowered to make mature political choices and demands, as well as to aspire to become a new breed of leaders. Our vision is to help create a broad middle class, which is the foundation for an equitable economy and a strong democracy,” he said. Mrs. Aquino, chairperson of the Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Foundation, has convened a private sector social consortium consisting of respected names in the business community and civil society, along with the leading lights of the micro-finance and micro-enterprise sector to help her implement the program. Besides Lacson, other leading prominent names involved in PinoyME are Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip, Managing Director, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development; Ms. Ruth Callanta, President, Center for Community Transformation; Professor Ronald Chua, Faculty Member, AIM Center for Development Management; Ambassador Howard Dee, Chairman, Assisi Development Foundation; Ms. Victoria Garchitorena, President, Ayala

Foundation; Mr. Edward Go, President, ASA Philippines; Dr. Rosalinda Hortaleza, President & CEO, HBC, Inc.; Retired General William Hotchkiss III, President, Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines; Dr. Cayetano Paderanga, Jr., President, CIBI Information, Inc.; Mr. Manuel Pangilinan, Chairman, PLDT and Philippine Business for Social Progress; Fr. Anton Pascual, Executive Director, CARITAS, Manila; Mr. Ramon del Rosario, Jr., President and CEO, PHINMA; Mr. Aniceto Sobrepena, President, Metrobank Foundation; Mr. Washington Sycip, Chairman, Asian Institute of Management (AIM); Ambassador Jesus Tambunting, Chairman, Planters Bank; and Ms. Veronica Villavicencio, Executive Director, Peace & Equity Foundation.

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FAMOUS FILIPINOS

…In the military

A salute to Filipino Generals in the US Three Filipino-Americans had the distinction of becoming U.S. Army generals. They are Maj. Gen. Edward Soriano, Brig. Gen. Archine Laano, and Brig. Gen. Antonio Taguba. Soriano is the only Filipino to have attained the rank of major general in the U.S. Armed Forces. He was born in Pangasinan and migrated to the U.S. with his family at an early age. In 2001, he was the Director of Operations, Readiness and Mobilization at the office of America’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans. Laano is a physician by profession and a 1963 graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. President Ronald Reagan appointed him brigadier general in 1988. He also served as the president of the Philippine Medical Association of America and as such, represented the group in several medical missions in the Philippines. Taguba is the third Filipino American general in the U.S. Armed Forces. He was born in Sampaloc, Manila and moved to Hawaii at age 11. He holds three Master’s Degrees - Public Administration from Webster University, International Relations from Salve Regina College, and National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College.

UN awards Filipino peacekeepers Philippine Ambassador to Timor Leste Farita Aguilucho-Ong said the five PNP officers awarded with the prestigious UN Special Service Medals were Edgar Layon, Contingent Commander and Training Coordinator; Pedrito de los Reyes, Professional Ethics Advisor; Jose Molava Dueñas; Team Leader; Joseph Pangilinan, Border Patrol Advisor in Oecussi; and Celso Destajo, also a Border Patrol Advisor in Oecussi. Alan Doss, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Liberia, awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medals to 160 Filipinos

for their professionalism and dedication to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). In Haiti, UN Philippine Representative Lauro Baja Jr. said the UN presented the Dag Hammarskjold Medal to slain Filipino peacekeeper, Staff Sgt. Antonio Batomalaque during the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. The Philippines, the largest troop contributor to the UN peacekeeping missions from Southeast Asia with more than 500 troops, has been an integral part of the United Nations peacekeeping operations for more than half a century.

The success stories continue to inspire us. Across the globe, many Filipinos are making history and we promise to pay tribute to our modern heroes.

Illustrado

Famous Filipinos By Maripaz Febrero

The search continues, dear kababayans, for Pinoys who have made the world sit up and notice the Filipino talent and innate drive to make a difference. In this issue, we take our hats off to talented Filipinos from various fields, from literature to UN service.

In investigative reporting…

Pinoy Pulitzer Prize Awardee  As a US-based journalist, Tizon has decided to follow the lead of Ernest Hemingway whose passion was “to write hard and clear about what hurts”.  Tizon was born in Manila but grew up in the United States, where in 1997, he and two colleagues received the coveted Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting for a series of stories exposing widespread fraud in the Federal Indian Housing Program. For his more than 17-years stint with the Seattle Times, Tizon has earned distinction for his coverage of youth gangs, immigrant groups and Native American tribes. He has also written extensively about race and ethnicity, crime and law enforcement.  Tizon also received various awards like the Phoenix Award, a Penney Missouri Lifestyle Award and the Clarion Award for his numerous articles in the Seattle Times, Pacific, The Times’ Sunday magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek magazine and CBS News.

Who’s Who?

Who broke the Guinness ‘Tooth Brushing’ World Record?

Who married the world’s first Beauty Queens? The first Miss Universe, Armi Kuusela of Finland won the crown in 1952 and married Virgilio Hilario of Tarlac the following year. The first Miss International (1961), Maria Stella Marquez Zawadsky of Colombia, married Filipino millionaire, Jorge Araneta. The first Miss Asia (1965), Angela Filmer of Malaysia, married Jose Faustino, also a Filipino.

13,400 Filipino children took part in the ‘Mega Tooth Brushing Drill’ at Rizal Park in Manila, breaking the previous record held by China, which assembled some 10,240 students in the activity.

…In pop media

Pinay VJ

Vanessa Minnillo was born in Clark Air Base, Pampanga to Vince Minnillo, an American of Italian and Irish descent, and Helen Berecero, a Filipina from the province of Leyte. Vanessa became Miss South Carolina Teen USA 1998, and went on to win the Miss Teen USA Pageant. She has since been hosting TRL on MTV since 2003. In 2005, she became a New York-based reporter for the Entertainment News show, Entertainment Tonight. In May 2006, Maxim magazine ranked Minnillo as No. 15 in their Hot 100 issue. She was also listed as No. 62 in the 2005 issue and was the cover girl of their October 2005 and October 2006 issues.

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FASHION

Urban Ethnic

Closed neck halter top in delicate Sophie Halette lace accented with polished coconut shell buttons and dangling beads in antique gold, bronze and black. The new sinamay â&#x20AC;&#x201C; fabricated sinamay fiber skirt topped with Sophie Halette lace with brown faux fur trim, with gold accessories at the hemline.

FASHION Text: Lalaine Chu-Benitez Photography: Pot Ph Styling Consultant: Zekundo Chu Model: Rachel Soriano Model Coordinator: André Penane Hair and Make-Up: Basil

RECTO-VERSO Designing from the Far Left to the Far Right Prêt-a-Couture by Butz Fuentes

Creating contemporary chic from the fusion of extreme aesthetic elements, generating excitement in contradiction – when couture is prêt and minimalism equals maximum impact. Design that breaks the norms to reveal that opposites harmonize, and that traditional is the new moderne. Style is as unlimited as your imagination, and elegance is all about knowing how to hold back. Illustrado 16

FASHION

The Twist on Tulle Sculpted layered tulle top in black; skirt with satin ribbon stripes in black, white and fuchsia, with circular deconstructed ruffled hemline.

Illustrado 18

FASHION

Black-on-Black Brilliance

Corset in matte black georgette draped with solstice lace embellished with jet-black Swarovski stones, accented with winged golden black feathers on the shoulder; skirt in deconstructed black pinstripe with strips of transparent organza.

FASHION

Illustrado 20

FASHION

Strong and Fragile White

Hardwearing white hablon cotton blouse with wide neckline accentuated by twirled hablon roses, paired with delicate capiz shell skirt with ostrich feathers and strings of bugle beads all in white.

FASHION

Drop neckline blouse with gathered front in matte jersey, topped by a Sophie Halette leaves and flowers motif lace neck accent with black stones and Swarovski crystals; skirt in luminous black lamĂŠ with a tiered hemline trimmed with rich black faux fur and midnight black feathers.

Illustrado 22

FASHION

Oriental Vogue

Chinese lantern skirt of layered soft white tulle; bodice with Chinese dragon motif ari embroidery accented with Swarovski crystals, topped with white satin draped shawl with center sun shaped stone button.

Illustrado 24

DESIGNER PROFILE

Butz Fuentes

A Study in Restrained Elegance Butz Fuentes’ discerning fashionista gaze can be unsettling for someone who’s meeting him for the first time. But beneath the surface of this seemingly haughty demeanor, is a warm and muted confidence of a seasoned professional – “I’d rather not discuss my past, or my connections. I would like my designs to speak for themselves, and for people to appreciate them for what they really are, without any bias.” Butz Fuentes believes that he was born to design. “It has always been my dream to design. Paying attention to details and finishing is very important for me. A dress must transform…complement, not smother; nor steal the thunder from a woman. I want the woman who wears my creation to be the center of attention, to feel beautiful inside and out.” Apart from Butz’ eye for detail, what is distinctive in his creations is his design ethos. “Fashion is infinite in nature. However, to be a good designer one must know restraint…the discipline of balance and proportion…knowing the difference between too little and too much,” he said. And true to his design philosophy, Butz’ creations speak effortlessly of restrained elegance, which in turn translates into a very refined fashion statement fit for the international audience. For this month’s Illustrado feature, the fashion virtuoso has created a small collection of prêt-a-couture – haute couture translated to prêt-aporter (ready to wear) with the same sumptuous and masterful strokes of high fashion wear. “My creation for Illustrado serves as an eye opener, to show that couture doesn’t always have to be long, or about gowns dripping with Swarovski crystals,” explains Butz. “It’s really about redefining and setting a new standard on how we perceive couture locally.” According to Butz the design values of his Illustrado creations also represent his dual fashion persona. “On one hand, I am a minimalist. I love the clean elegant lines of Armani, for example. So I can use very few components like my favorite black on black, for a great effect. But I also have another side that is passionate about opulence, but there is always, of course, the element of restraint,” he explains. It is this ingenious blend of different styles that allows Butz to design from extreme perspectives and create unusual combinations that work wonderfully together. For example, he has effectively paired casual hablon fabric with such delicate capiz and ostrich feathers, and made clever use of humble tulle and spun sinamay fibers creating a totally fresh contemporary take on traditional materials. When not hard at work, Butz also finds the time to champion the cause of the Filipino fashion designing fraternity. He has been key in organizing and establishing the first and only association of Filipino

designers in the UAE, the FFDG (Filipino Fashion Designers of the Gulf ) and serves as its president. “We are really like a sleeping dragon”, he laments. “We, Filipinos, are very good but we are always in the sidelines.” He further explains, “I realized that it is time that we show the world how great we are, and I hope with my leadership, I can help my fellow designers gain prominence for their creations.” Butz continues, “Our organization aspires to be the fashion ambassador of goodwill for our community by showcasing Filipino talent and ultimately gaining global acceptance. Dubai is an excellent springboard to the rest of the world.”

Illustrado 25

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KABUHAYAN INSURANCE

Money, Assets and Investing

Insuring Your by Ben Parco After more than 16 years of selling life insurance and insurance-based savings and investment products here in the United Arab Emirates, I still believe there is a great need to educate our kababayans in understanding the true meaning, use, and importance of life insurance. Basically, a life insurance policy is a unique financial instrument designed to help a person protect himself and his loved ones in the unfortunate event of his untimely death, disability, diagnosis of a critical illness such as cancer or kidney failure, or hospital confinement. Its primary objective is to give the insured and his loved ones the peace of mind and assurance that the money he is expected to earn in the future will be available when the unthinkable happens. The following is a textbook definition of a life insurance policy…“It is a contract in which an insurance company agrees to pay money to a designated beneficiary upon the death of the policyholder or the insured. In exchange, the policyholder pays a regularly scheduled fee, known as the insurance premiums.” In other words, the policyholder or the insured is buying money at a big discount. In fact, a 25-year old can buy a US$200,000 life insurance policy for a low as US$100 per month. It is important to have a life insurance cover because no one has the guarantee that he will live long enough to achieve all his goals in life. The sad fact is that many people die of accident or illness at a young age. The people who should give priority to buying a life insurance policy are those who have people depending on them for financial support. A person having a non-working wife and two young children, for example, must have adequate life insurance cover to make sure that his widow will have enough

money to maintain the same lifestyle, to continue to put food on the table, to live in the same neighborhood, to wear the same kind of clothes, and to keep on sending the children to the same school. Oftentimes many of our kababayans have a negative response to a life insurance proposition probably because of previous bad experience with unscrupulous agents and hyper-optimism that they are going to live a long healthy life. Over the years, however, I am surprised to receive many calls from people who suddenly become interested in buying a life insurance policy only to find out later that they are no longer insurable because of a serious medical condition. Some people perceive a life insurance policy as an added financial burden because they argue that the benefits are available only when they are already disabled, terminally ill, or deceased. They have to realize, however, that whatever they decide to do, whether they buy a policy or not, someone will pay for life insurance. If they buy, they pay only a few hundred dollars themselves. If they don’t buy and they die prematurely, their family will pay for it in terms of not having enough money to maintain their lifestyle, not enough money to pay for school fees, and not enough money buy the basic necessities in living a comfortable and dignified life. If a person is already convinced that he should buy a life insurance policy, the next step is to start looking for an insurance professional without delay. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month because as mentioned earlier no one has the guarantee that he will be there tomorrow. When it comes to life insurance, time is of the essence. In developed countries, people are very

‘clinical’ about life insurance and they normally buy a policy as soon as they start working. It is therefore always a good idea to buy a policy while one is still young and healthy because the premiums are lower and the probability of being accepted at standard rates is very high. There are several types of life insurance policies that a person can choose from and a good insurance professional will be able to guide him to select the most suitable plan under his present circumstances. According to David P. Vanderzee, CLU, a 20-year Member of the Million Dollar Round Table (www.mdrt.org), a Permanent Life Insurance Policy is still the best. I believe, however, that the best life insurance policy is one that is tailor-made to a person’s specific requirements by an insurance professional, simple to understand, lowcost, tax-efficient, portable, flexible enough to meet his changing circumstances, and offered by a financially strong and professionally-managed company with a proven track-record. There are two major areas to consider in buying a life insurance policy. The first area is the amount of life cover and the second is the maximum premium a person should allocate for this purpose. A person having a non-working wife and two young children should be looking at a policy that will provide his widow a regular family income until the children finish their university education. If, for example, the widow and the children require a monthly income of US$2,000 per month or US$24,000 per year then he should have a life cover of US$480,000 which will give them the required regular family income for at least 20 years even without counting the interest earnings on the proceeds. As far as premium is concerned, the most common recommendation by experts is that not more than 25% of the gross income should be allocated for a life insurance policy.

KABUHAYAN REAL ESTATE

Money, Assets and Investing

Dreams

A Primer on Property Purchasing PART 1 by Jovy Tuano

Are you dreaming of buying a home? The common answer is definitely a big YES for many Filipino expatriates. Turning that dream into a reality during your productive years abroad is the aim of this primer. It’s a very simple query, and yet in reality, the question of home ownership is one that leads to more questions, as well as answers that need to be further questioned. Purchasing a home is a major decision in one’s life and as such, should be considered thoroughly. Owning a property depends on the personal interest, lifestyle and purchasing power of the buyer.

Deciding on Buying a Home

Should I buy a flat or a villa Just like buying a car, you must begin with a purpose and your personal interest in mind when buying a home, which may include the common interest and lifestyle of your family. If you enjoy shopping, lively street life and traveling, you may want to buy a flat or a condominium near a commercial area. If you wish to relax after a hard days work without the hassle of hunting for a parking space, then you may want to consider getting a townhouse or a villa away from the city center. A flat is usually more affordable than a townhouse and villa

Illustrado 30

in a given geographical location because there are more people sharing the cost in a residential building occupying a small piece of land. Townhouses and villas in suburban areas vary in cost depending on the community lifestyle and environment you want to live in. Some people buy a house or property for investment purposes with the aim of earning passive rental income or reselling at a higher value..

Location, location… Once you have determined the purpose of buying a property it will be much easier to choose the right location with a rough budget in mind. Browse through the classified ads and internet to get a general idea of the market value of properties in various areas you are likely to consider. Before we talk about pricing, let’s focus first on the location by getting a map of the region, city or town where you will have to consider the current and future landmark developments, economic activities, and, most importantly, the distance and road access to and from schools, healthcare, community services, commercial centers and workplace. Availability of public transportation like taxis, buses (or jeepneys if you buy in the Philippines), rail and air transport is also vital in order for you and your family to save time and money on daily transportation aside from mere convenience.

Maintenance Condominium units or flats usually require lower maintenance cost based on interior space occupied, utility consumption and shared common areas. Villas and town-

houses will require individual repair and maintenance of both exterior and interior areas in addition to the common charges for common utilities and security in gated communities.

Community living and amenities In the UAE, most Filipinos are confined to apartment buildings due to budgetary reasons. With the fast development of the real estate sector, however, community living options are becoming more accessible to expats. A number of Pinoy expatriates are now benefiting from living in developed local communities such as The Greens, The Gardens, The Springs, The Meadows, among other developments. Such properties have communal provisions such as sports and recreation facilities like parks, swimming pools and health clubs, international schools, supermarkets and food outlets. This type of community development is not new to Filipinos, as many subdivisions have been developed all over the Philippines for more than 30 years. You will be amazed with the choice of community-based and mixed-use developments completed by Filinvest Land (www.filinvestinternational. com) and Megaworld International (www. megaworldinternational.com), which offer exceptional amenities. Ideal community living happens when people share friendly smiles everyday, share social responsibilities, problems and solutions beyond the boundaries of their own properties. There is no perfect community. It can only be as good as your involvement as an active member of the homeowners association and the goodwill you foster with your neighbors.

Letters from the edge of the teeming metropolis

It’s the season of hearts! Happy Valentine’s Day, my friend! Like every event in the Philippines, it starts too early and ends too late. I vaguely remember Valentine’s Day in Dubai because it just like happens in one day - fast and furious. Who will be your Valentine? I know some ladies here who would gladly be yours this February. Don’t worry, you’re not missing much staying away this month. Same old, same old. Red heart cut-outs of different sizes. Little red silhouettes of baby cupids, little Lord Fauntleroys and Little Bo Peeps, or is it Tom Sawyer in his Sunday best and his sweetheart Becky Thatcher? (We’ve been seeing these Norman Rockwell shapes way long before we grew hair on our armpits, right?). And those too sweet, overly hyperglycemic Hallmark card texts in bookstores that adorn flower shops and restaurants. Let’s not forget the expensive long-stemmed red roses and the boxes of chocolate. This, of course, works for the sweet romantics – good paying jobs, in new relationships and with money to waste. Here’s where people can blow up big money this Valentine’s Day, aside from costly dinners that will set you back a couple of grand – concerts! I’m almost certain some local acts will be offering their own romantic concerts but I won’t waste time and space to tell you who they are (same old, same old), because we have some imported talents flying in.

Aging Brit heartthrob Cliff Richard will be working the stage in Manila. And there’s a back-toback with Paul ‘Won’t last a Day Without You’ Williams and Dennis ‘Of All The Things’ Lambert.

My advice: splurge a little and go to a real hotel! That way if somebody sees you, you can always say you have a meeting. It may put a dent in your wallet but your date will definitely be impressed. But just make sure she’s worth it.

You know someone should tell these guys that if they’re playing Manila on Valentine’s Day that could be a signal that they’re not as popular as they thought they were and it’s probably time to consider just staying home and enjoy their grandkids.

Anyway, if people weren’t thinking and talking about their Valentine dates, or worrying about being all-alone on the day of hearts, they’re talking about the coming May elections. I should fly out there meet up with you because I don’t feel like voting anyway.

Mick Jagger and the boys may be old but you won’t catch them playing Manila on Valentine’s Day. And it will be a sad day when that happens.

Kiningining! The candidates making the rounds can bring up your blood pressure. Former senator, aging bowler and comedian Tito Sotto wants to go back to the senate and announced he was running. I think he announced his intentions the same day the Senate’s favorite dancing queen Tessie Aquino-Oreta did. Richard Goma is also running for senator – probably in between modeling stints for the fave local underwear brand. More names, some familiar, some disgusting ones are coming out, but we’ll never know until the final tickets are announced.

Anyway, for the not-too-sweet romantics, it’s just worrying about finding a vacant motel room. Fancy dinner? Forget it, woman! Let’s order room service and just get it on! But it’s a bad case of the blue balls when motel attendants show you their palms to let you know it’s a full house. And who would stay inside their cars parked on the driveway and be in the crosshairs of anyone who may recognize your car as you wait for a vacant room? You’re lucky if you see your boss and he/she is with someone else. Luckier if he/she sees you and you’re with someone legit. And don’t you just hate it when you get stuck in traffic coming in, or out, of a motel driveway? Because on Valentine’s Day every car near a motel with a couple inside is always suspect.

February is also EDSA month. February 25. It falls on a Sunday so there goes another non-holiday. Like who cares about EDSA anyway, right? When you have Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, Loi Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada in the senate, and coming soon, Senator Goma…(oh, heaven help us). The promise of EDSA never came and never will. At least we got something not to look forward to this month. Hey, the Wednesday before EDSA, 21 February, is, can you believe this?!? Ash Wednesday. Yeah, already! Soon it will be summer. Now that’s something to look forward to. Well, till my next dispatch. Later, bro!

Illustrado 33

KABUHAYAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Money, Assets and Investing

in the By Bernadette Reyes Prospective investors may be overwhelmed at first as the list found on websites about how to put up a business in the Philippines runs long. In fact, in a survey conducted by the World Bank, the Philippine government has an 11-step procedure to putting up a business operation whereas in other Asian countries businesses have to comply with only two major steps. However, the government is trying to shift gears by simplifying the procedure in order to lure in more people to put up their own business in the country. The first step among the basic requirement is to register a business name. A Sole Proprietorship or a business structure owned by an individual only needs to apply for a Business Name and be registered with the Department of Trade and Industry- National Capital Region (DTI-NCR). In the provinces, application may be filed with the extension offices of the DTI. For partnership or those businesses owned by two or more partners a business name should also be registered with the DTI. However, a partnership with more than PHP3,000 capital must register with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Corporations on the other hand are required to register at the SEC. Application fee for business name registration is pegged at PHP315 for single proprietorship and PHP515 for partnerships and corporations. Business name registration fee and filing fee are charged PHP300 and PHP500, respectively. After these general registration requirements have been met, securing permits and utility connections are next in line. Tax Identification Number (TIN) should be obtained at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Upon securing your TIN, you may proceed with obtaining a business permit to operate from the City Hall/Municipal Offices in the localities where the business will be set up. For businesses located in Metro Manila, locational clearances/business permits are necessary and

Illustrado 32

should be obtained from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Note that securing permits in cities and municipalities is considered as the hardest part in the business application process. Once the permit to operate has been secured, a business employer must get a number from the Social Security System (SSS) office. To cap the list, apply for water services from the Maynilad Water Company or Manila Water Company for firms located in Metro Manila and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) for firms located outside Metro Manila. Also apply for electric and telephone services connection and you are ready to get the ball rolling. Meralco provides electricity connection for the most part of the country. The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), Bayantel, Digitel, Smart and Globelines are some of the well-known companies providing telephone connection services. Once these requirements have been met, business owners just have to comply with reportorial requirements, pay tax dues regularly and renew expired contracts and permits to keep the business. While the steps in setting up a business in the Philippines are not easy as ABC, the Philippine government is putting conscious effort to provide leeways and and short-cut the procedures to encourage investments. It has recently allowed post registration requirements wherein businesses may start operation as soon as it has secured the permit to operate but with the commitment to accomplish other requirements in the next two months in order to continue doing business. While the government has become lenient in allowing this type of set-up, it monitors strict compliance of the post registration requirements. Failure of any business to comply with the other requirements would also mean forfeiture of the permit to operate and therefore the business must be closed down. This type of

set up is available in some of the key cities in the Philippines including Quezon City, Manila and Makati. The government has also identified Economic Zones or ecozones which are being developed as independent community with minimum government interference. It administers its own economic, financial, industrial, and tourism development without help from the national government. Ecozones provide adequate facilities to establish linkages with surrounding communities and other entities within the community. As an incentive, companies in the Special Economic Zones are subject to only 5% overall tax rates. According to DTI, businesses involved in trading such as retail stores are the easiest to get the process done. However, those which involve the use of hazardous chemicals are the hardest to put up, as these type of businesses would require special permits from various agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). For businesses involved in export will need clearances and permits prior to every shipment. While this may seem arduous especially for those with frequent shipments, the government encourages this type of business venture since the Philippines is the most strategic location for firms that want access to the large ASEAN market and its vast trade opportunities. The Philippines has enhanced and primed up various areas for investors and offers a dynamic consumer market accustomed to an array of product choices created by a competitive domestic economy. But more than the setting up profitable businesses, doing business in the Philippines will further contribute to economic development. The Philippine government is providing an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country as outlined in the 10-point agenda of the Arroyo Administration. In fact, the SME sector has

ILLUSTRADO PROFILE

Vic & Norma on their 50th Wedding Anniversary

By Ina Elle Crisostomo

An almost immediate warmth greeted me as I was ushered into the home of Vic and Norma Tajanlangit. The spacious living and dining room was filled with wall-to-wall memorabilias, an abundant and continuing testament to the couple’s illustrious life as parents, musicians, and civil servants. What could I possibly write about this couple, that hasn’t been written yet? I struggled with this thought as I sat and waited for them to meet me.

dropped by at a pharmacy to pick up a perfume (yes – they used to sell perfume at pharmacies back then). And there Norma was at the counter. We started talking. I was so attracted to her that I forgot the girl I wanted to buy the gift for. I remember buying something, though, but I forgot to go to the party,” he chuckles.

Vic and Norma Tajanlangit are the heads of the renowned Tajanlangit Family singers. For years during the late 70s through the 80s, they traveled around the Philippines (from Aparri to Jolo) with their eight (yes – eight!) musically gifted children, to spread the gospel of family solidarity through music. Their performances won them countless awards, most prestigious was the ‘Model Filipino Family of 1984’ citation; chosen out of 54 million to represent a nation that has taken them to their hearts. This recognition only catapulted them further to a busier calendar as Goodwill Ambassadors for the Philippine Ministry of Tourism. Their singing engagements took them as far as Bahrain, Kuwait, and eventually Dubai, where they settled 20 years ago.

Soon after the wedding, Norma set up her own clinic next to her family pharmacy while Vic focused on his well-established business, manufacturing construction materials.

Although it was music that brought fame to the Tajanlangits, Vic and Norma’s remarkable partnership started much earlier in 1950, when they met at Norma’s family-owned pharmacy: “She was an accomplished classical pianist and medical student, and I was a law student then,” Vic recalls vividly. “One day, on my way home from college, I remembered I had to buy a gift for a lady friend who had invited me to her party. I

Illustrado 34

They got married six years later, more than 50 years ago.

But after four years, they decided it was time to explore the unknown. In 1960, they sold their businesses and moved to General Santos City in Mindanao. Equipped with their medical and law degrees, and a growing brood, they braved the fertile south, like pioneers of old. Here, Vic displayed an almost Midas-like kind of touch for business - establishing a succession of fruitful ventures, from owning and running a ranch that bred horses, cattle and poultry; to an abattoir and meat processing plant. The couple also bought a garage, and believe it or not - a radio station called DXGS under the Filipino Broadcasting Network. The Tajanlangits were at one time running about seven businesses, apart from mini markets! Meanwhile, Norma still managed to practice medicine through a clinic she put up close to their pharmacy. How they coped with their marriage, with their various ventures, and

ILLUSTRADO PROFILE

still raise eight healthy, well-cared for, talented children was a miracle indeed. “People have always wondered how we did it,” Norma says gratefully. “My wife and I believe in the healing power of laughter and a calm mind,” Vic explains, who to this day looks nowhere near 78 years of age, with his boyish smile. “We also faithfully consult each other on every decision we make. We never discuss anything in anger. We’re best friends, you know,” Vic adds. With their modest fortune and growing family, the power couple decided that they should do more to help their community, so they embarked on various medical and socio-civic projects that included initiatives, such as the Rural Medicine Project; Working People’s Club; the Living Blood Bank; and believe it or not - the Mindanao State University in General Santos. Dissatisfied with the sub-standard education in his area, Vic struck up a deal with the University of the Philippines to branch out in Mindanao. “The university grew so big we had to move it to a 120-hectare campus, to what is now known the biggest state university in the region,” he says with beaming pride. Although his family got UP’s franchise approval, he didn’t immediately get the necessary funding so he had no choice but to support its initial operations through his family’s savings. The government took over years later. Their medical projects lead by Norma, took them to some of the remotest areas of the province. She brought medicine, most of all, medical attention, along with clothing and foodstuff to households that would never have otherwise received such benefits because of poverty. They also kept Norma’s clinic open for free three times a week, to accommodate the less privileged. “Since it was also open during Sunday, it gave our children the chance to help out,” she says.

In the midst of these swirling socio-civic activities, Norma and Vic were confronted by yet another challenge: Parenting teenagers. “When the children got into their teens, we noticed that they started coming home late,” recalls Vic. “We began to wonder how we could keep them at home. And because of my wife’s professional background, music came in handy.” So Norma started teaching her children to play the piano. Surprisingly, the children took to music very seriously. Before they knew it, they were broadcasting their singing through their station. The rest as they say is history. Happily settled in Dubai since 1986, Norma, now 72, still teaches piano lessons at home, while Vic, true to his nature, remains an active and successful businessman. The Tajanlangits are also grandparents to more than two dozen grandchildren. Their eight children remain actively involved in music, either through live band performances, or as piano teachers, associated with the UK-based Royal School of Music. More than fifty years since their wedding, the Tajanlangits continue to defy time. When asked about the most important reason that has kept their marriage alive – Norma muses: “Communication…giving each other the chance to speak. We started a conversation 56 years ago…and today we’re still talking.” As I said goodbye, Vic stepped out into the balcony and got himself a rose from the lush garden outside. “Aren’t they lovely?” he asks, as he gracefully cut a stem to give to his wife. I would learn later from one of her daughters, Marita, that Vic brought hundreds of plant and flower seedlings when he moved his family to Dubai. “My father never liked plants…he only tends the garden so he can give my mother fresh flowers every day,” Marita reveals..

The radio station owned by the family also came in handy in spreading awareness on the availability of the couple’s charitable services.

The Tajanlangit Family

ALMOST FILIPINO By Lalaine Chu-Benitez Photography by Mac Antonio poet is a hopeless romantic, enamored by the captivating Filipina. Published in the UAE, Love Songs to a Woman from Quezon is a compilation of romantic lyrics and poems dedicated to a Filipina very dear to the author’s heart.

Judging by the recent hot topic in one of the UAE’s popular dailies, Filipinos appear to have a lot of admirers within the multicultural community of the UAE. The Filipino smile, eternally sunny disposition and our mild-mannered ways have endeared us to quite a number nonPinoy expats in this country. Poet Daoud Tahboub, is one such admirer.

According to Daoud, the book is also a way for him to show how much he appreciates Filipinos in general. In his introduction, he writes, “… though these lyrics are dedicated to a woman from Quezon, they are meant to express my admiration for all Filipinos. It so happened that through the eyes of the same woman, and indeed because of them I came to love the whole Filipino nation. I do not regret this experience, since I came to appreciate the simple yet warm nature of these people. They are fond of life, fond of love, fond of songs and dancing.”

Palestine born Jordanian national Daoud Tahboub is a Dubai-based freelance journalist who has authored a collection of interesting books – Egyptian Eyes: A Collection of Arabic Poems, Bye-Bye Zagreb (a short novel in Arabic); The Poetry of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum: A Study and Translation in English, and Epic of Love, a story of love written in English, among others.

Seeing ourselves through the eyes of a talented artist not our own seems surreal, yet flattering. Illustrado features excerpts from Daoud’s book, and finds that his poetry is as real as it is bound to the intrinsic allure of the Filipina.

One look at this man’s soulful eyes glistening with enthusiasm, as he talked about a particular book he created for one of our kababayans, makes it crystal clear that the

Luzon

Paradise

Luzon, Luzon O melody of time You are the island of my dreams, For you’re the home of the woman I love She’s from a province they call Quezon where land and ocean dance together, with a breathtaking smile lasting forever, where green and blue embrace with care in an eternal kiss sweet as ever.

Your eyes, Are my gate to paradise, To that part of the world, Where my dream lies, Where the Pacific Ocean, Is deep as my emotion, And the obscure horizon, Is dotted with clouds I smell the perfumed air, Of the jungle flowers, And see how cascade, Form into showers I see the winding shade, Of feminine coconut trees Elegantly bending down To kiss the lips of the lagoon And how the waves glitter, Under the full moon I see the drowsing beach, Eager to be touched, By those delicate feet, Of pretty Quezon gals, I hear the rattle sound Of surf rushing fast, To embrace the hot sighs, Of lovers in the night You’re my worldly paradise.

Aren’t You? Aren’t you the Far Eastern nymph? The nature’s babe? The Philippine’s child? Aren’t you the one who stole my mind? The scorching sun heating my veins? The blend of calm and love and pride? Aren’t you the one who chained my heart? And made my world beautiful and bright? Aren’t you the touch of the jungle’s spirit? The Princess of Quezon? The ocean’s secret? Who are you? The morning star? The melody of rain? The pulse of life? Please help me know who you are.

Oriental Dream Near the green banks of Masin river A small kubo sleeps in the moonlight It is shadowed by a mango tree And lulled by waves of the blue sea At the window’s dangling a young woman’s hair, That is carried away by the ocean’s air, To far horizons where dreams dwell, Where her black eyes travel as well Her countenance betrays her Filipino streak: Tender and sweet, delicate but never weak Her cheekbones point to the sky with pride, Her lips though transparent look wild, So soft as to be hurt by the touch of a breeze Her lithe figure drifts around with ease Delicious as love, alluring with charm How much I savor her smile and calm

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COCONUTER A young Pinoy rediscovers his roots David Poarch’s discovery of his homeland continues…

At the cross of Mt. Samat David Poarch reflects on the beauty of simple community life and ponders on the bravery of the soldiers who died in Bataan. Their sweat could be seen glimmering under the full moon as they hauled the fishing net to shallow waters. Their families waited eagerly as this would be their meal tonight. This particular village in Bataan relied heavily on fishing for its daily meals as was evident from tonight’s dinner of tuna and arusep, which is a type of seaweed. The women, for the most part, took care of the children and tended to the household chores during the day, while the men fished out at sea or labored on land, proud to bring home the food or money they worked hard for.  This is their simple life, unspoiled by the complexities of modern civilization. They are content with their traditional roles and are happy to be family-centered, as they are able to stay close with friends and relatives, create strong bonds and live together with their loved ones, and watch their children grow. From my brief taste of living in the Philippines, I noticed that this village was extremely closeknit - the people relied on simple facilities and on each other. In fact, they shared a waterspout where women chatted with each other while washing clothes and where children also played and took baths. They have created an intimate community in order

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to survive. It is a way of life here, and they’ve found it easier to subsist as a collective unit rather than individuals apart. This pakikisama system was exhibited when word quickly traveled through the grapevine that I had arrived. I was flocked by a crowd of smiling people as soon as I came. Although only a guest, I already felt like family. The next morning, the villagers convinced me to visit the cross of Mt. Samat, saying that my trip to Bataan would not be complete if I was not able to experience the heart of Bataan. The hike up the winding roads leading to the cross of Mt. Samat was cool, breezy, and relatively quiet. Along the road I came across rows of several small wooden sticks. I found out that these were barbecue sticks cut from bamboo. A man was rolling a tied batch of barbecue sticks back-and-forth with his feet to smoothen them out and get rid of the stray shredding, preparing it to be packaged and shipped. Just like overseas Filipino workers, unable to find livelihood in the land of their origin, their purpose had to be found elsewhere. The breeze was even cooler at the top. The giant white cross that watches over Bataan towered over the land. The view was magnificent as misty clouds grazed the sloping landscape. Manila and its skyscrapers could be seen across the bay. I learned that this Shrine of Valor (Dambana ng Kagitingan) was erected as a war memorial for the valiant Filipino-American stand against a larger, a much

more well-equipped, and better-trained enemy, and as a silent but moving commemoration for the men who died there. I paused to read over the historical background of the cross engraved on the walls of its museum. The Filipino and American troops in the Pacific theater of World War II, under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, were battling and suffering heavy losses against the Japanese all over Luzon, which forced them to retreat and regroup to the Bataan Peninsula for a last valiant but futile stand.  Mt. Samat was the site of the most vicious battle against the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942 during the Battle of Bataan.  Ultimately, more than 60,000 Filipino and 15,000 American prisoners of war were forced into the infamous Bataan Death March, but Filipino-American forces were finally able to retake the Bataan Peninsula on February 8, 1945. Without the stand, the Japanese might have quickly gained control of not only the Philippines, but also most of the Pacific.  Filipino and American soldiers fought fiercely and courageously to keep the Philippines liberated and a land where future Filipinos can live, live freely, and live as Filipinos. I’m glad to read that their sacrifices are remembered in an honorable manner. It’s pleasing to see that their heroic acts are referred to using words such as ‘bravery, valor and sacrifice’, rather than inaccurate words like ‘brash, foolishness, and ignorance’. Perhaps today’s Filipino can muster enough courage to dive back into the pit and make a valiant stand in our homeland amidst its current instability, hardships, and struggle, in order to save the nation and ensure that its soldiers did not die in vain.