ILLUSTRADO Magazine_Nov 2011

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THE MAGAZINE FOR INTERNATIONAL FILIPINO

15 NOVEMBER - 15 DECEMBER 2011

ISSUE

57

THE FILIPINO HOLLYWOOD MAFIA WEIRD & WONDERFUL WORLD OF COSTUMING COLLECTIVE OBSESSIONS FASCINATING FLAVORS AND AROMAS LES TENTATIVAS PRÊT-À-PORTER - PARIS ON THE RUNWAY: FURNE ONE,MICHAEL CINCO, EZRA SANTOS & ALBERT ANDRADA BLACK MAGIC BY BANDOIX FLORES MY PINOY LIFE IN VIENNA THE DARK ARTS

BLACK MAGIC

Photo by Eros Goze

EDITOR’S NOTE

Into the mystical month

There’s something about November that lends itself into a period that feels both magical and mysterious.

Out here, November is the time when sun rays soften, the temperature goes down, the darkness of night comes earlier at the end of the day, and we are treated to the occasional drizzle, even some morning fog. You feel a certain shift around you – the air is suddenly crisp and invigorating, you become more aurally aware and can clearly hear the chirping of birds, the soft swaying of leaves in the light wind, and can feel the passage of the season tingling on the very surface of your skin.

All of a sudden, you feel so alive and acutely aware of the world around you, after long months of hibernating.

Back home, who can ever forget about the special significance of this period which holds All Soul’s Day, All Saints Day and the pre-Christmas all in one month? November is the time of remembering our dearly departed; a time for candles, wreaths and cemetery vigils; prayers and family reunions. It is also that period wherein we use to revel as children (even as adults) in all things weird, spooky and dark - when we would recount mystical tales of dark creatures and beings, just for the excitement of it all.

Indeed, there is something darkly magical about the month of November.

And so in keeping with the period’s enigmatic mood, we take our time this month to delve into the obscure, sometimes strange or bizarre. We talk about unique preoccupations like costuming, aqua drumming, and eccentric collecting. We also reveal the story of one of the world’s most celebrated gems, some amazing but unexpected flavors and aromas, as well as the existence of a Filipino Mafia in Hollywood (oh yes, you read it right).

Fashion is also a big part of this dark month’s allure. This issue brings to you a fashion editorial inspired by ‘Arabic black’ taking a cue from the unique style sensibilities of the women in the region. We also give you a quadruple dose of runway adrenalin from some of the best haute couture designers in the country. And as if that wasn’t enough, there’s also prêt-a-porter from the trés chic world capital of style – Paris.

We hope that you savor the enchantment and charm that this November brings…

Taas noo, Filipino!

LALAINE CHU-BENITEZ Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

2 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Send your letters to: editor@illustrado.net or join the discussion at IIlustrado Magazine’s Facebook page

a stable monthly salary. Will I be able to make it? I always ask myself. Then again, wasn’t it the immensely successful Steve Jobs who said that we should follow our dreams? I’m excited and nervous all at the same time. But I think I have to give it a shot; otherwise, I’ll be wondering the rest of my life.

Ready for the World

Manning Up to Financial Literacy Man up! Yes, you said it Illustrado!

Filipinos need to “man up” especially when it comes to making the right decisions with their money as well as jumping into entrepreneurship. Our time has come. It’s time to show that we are not only employees, but that we can also set up our own businesses. I am planning to become an OFI (Overseas Filipino Investor) very soon – and I’m saving up all my hard earned bucks for capital. I can’t wait to start my business! Thank you for the nudge in the right direction.

We can do this!

Gerald Lavares Thanks Illustrado for publishing our views as OFIs (Overseas Filipino Investors) here in Dubai... It’s a great honor to be featured in your magazine…

Allan Miranda Your October 2011 issue really hit home.

I’ve been so unhappy with my job in the last couple of years – I feel as though I’m not growing anymore and I want a change of direction; every single day has become a boring struggle of just getting the job done. I want to go back to my first love, which is art, and I want to try and make a living out of that. Lucky for me, I’m single and have a little money saved on the side.

I have no big commitments and my family is happy to support my decision. But of course, it’s still a very scary thought to get out of employment and leave behind

Dear Ready for the World, I think you should. If it’s your core gift and there’snothingelseintheworldyouwould love to do, you shouldn’t ignore that. But doremembertobesmart–rememberthat timingiskey,andthatyoushoulddoyour homework. Good luck!

Editor Thank you for having an issue full of educational information on investing.

It’s good to get firsthand info, especially on things like investing in the Philippine Stock Market (which I have been interested in for so long) from a kabayan who has done it himself. Sometimes it’s difficult to listen to financial consultants (it can get confusing). But when you get advice from the people who have experienced it themselves, it’s a lot easier to absorb.

Kiko Tapiador Francisco Colayco and Bo Sanchez are my heroes! I consider them my mentors even if they are far away and don’t know me.

I’ve read some of their books and their online articles and follow their regular columns here in Illustrado. What they are teaching is so important for all Filipinos right now, especially since you hear a lot of bad news on financial difficulties and indebtedness. We should all take interest in this. I’ve been trying to follow their teachings and so far so good. I hope to be very rich someday! Hopefully soon!

Princess Balingcasan

“Handsome” October Cover Hi Illustrado! Love, love, love the male model cover this October! You really should feature more male models – more

eye candy for me!

Janilyn Mangubat Big Congrats for this Issue Lalaine!!! What a way to start your 6th year!

Albert Gonzales Fontanilla It’s great to see a different type of Illustrado cover. Bring out more of these.

Meldy Ilanan Amazing 56th issue! The model is so handsome. Fabulous cover as usual!

Juliette Casabal

Greetings and Other Things (On Hotshots: The New CEO, October 2011 Issue) Amazing innovation... we, Filipinos have great ideas and many are great innovators and imitators as well, but the hindrance to make our goals into reality is that we are financially handicapped. The plastic soda bottle as a source of light is a work of a genius! Keep up my dear fellow Filipinos!

Egypinay Mie Finally scored the long-awaited copies of Illustrado 55. Hmmm... Why is it Gehry: 2 Calatrava: 0? Your bias is showing Madame Editor! Hehehe... But great job for fusing fashion and architecture - not an easy thing to do, which just shows the high caliber of the minds behind Illustrado.

Bravo! More! More! :) Al P. Manlangit

Dear Al, We’re not biased. Nobody wanted to design a dress based on Calatrava’s TurningTorsobuilding;althoughwewould have loved to feature that. Perhaps, some other time? Thanks for the compliments.

Editor Good Day Ms. Lalaine!

I really admire your advocacy in empowering the minds of Filipinas to continue to move forward and live life to the fullest. Take Care and God Bless!

Carol Christine Reyes

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A M M 010 C t a ds 2 t s i al war n i s F edia A a en e M s o Ch ippin l Phi

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CONTRIBUTORS Mary Ann Santos Mary Ann “aka Maps” Santos loves looking for bargain deals in everything: clothes, restaurants, gadgets and travel.

Aside from being very practical, these good deals make everything accessible to everyone at any time. Everything is now possible with one’s available resources. Maps discoveredthatthisaxiomalsoappliestomusicalinstruments when she discovered the magic and beauty of the Aqua and Kali Drums in her feature on percussionist Jean Paul Zialcita.

Alfred “Krip” A. Yuson

Fresh from the launch of his book Lush Life: Essays 20012010, celebrated author Krip Yuson talks about a preholiday episode in Singapore where he got assaulted by Davy Jones. Illustrado’s Illuminati column has co-authored travel books (among these APA Insight Guide to the Philippines and Philippines: Islands of Enchantment). He has earned distinctions as a literary author of 26 books — from poetry, short stories, children’s stories, biographies, and translation. A Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Hall-of-Famer, he has also received the SEAWrite (SouthEast Asia Writer’s) Award from Thai royalty and the UMPIL or Writers’ Union of the Philippines’ Gawad Balagtas for lifetime achievement.

Regina Layug-Rosero Regina was born a geek: her dad made her watch Star Wars when she was five years old, and her mother made her read the Chronicles of Narnia. Now a freelance writer and project manager, Regina works towards population and development awareness through MulatPinoy.ph. But she still manages to geek out on a regular basis: last year she and her husband tied the knot in a Star Wars wedding featuring C-3PO and R2-D2, and they decorated their first Christmas tree with X-wings andTIE fighters. This month, Regina shares with us, what costumers and cosplayers are up to in the metro.

Mary Ann Marchadesch

Eros Goze

A photographer known for his decidedly dark and dramatic photography style, Eros Goze, is a multi-talented artist, a freelance fashion photographer and former haute couture designer with an undeniably striking visual flair evident in his images. This month, Eros captures black on black alluring detailing in the style editorial Black Magic featuring the creations of Dubai-based Bandoix Flores.

Mary Ann Marchadesch is a writer, former English Lit teacher, prodigal graduate student and a mad Anglophile who owns a ceramic Tardis mug, that spells “memorise” with an s. She is deeply bothered when people use“For a while!” to mean “Just a minute!” She lives in a library and is constantly running out of shelf space. She is the world’s least photogenic person, which explains the picture above. Mary Ann takes us to the world of the Filipino flavors and aromas in this issue.

Ginno Alducente Aby Yap

Delivering his own brand of“beautiful”in his secondIllustradostyling-slash-hairandmakeupassignment,inthismonth’sfashionfeature is the UAEs “McQueen of the Make-Over World” Ginno Alducente. Ginno is popular in the tightly knit local fashion industry for the fierce and edgy look he brings to make-up and hair, particularly haute couture. His credits range from fashion editorials and other print projects, as well as runway, music videos and film, and collaborations with some of the country’s top fashion designers.

Aby believes in the importance of spaghetti, travel, fat cats, and a fast internet connection.

Or, if the last one isn’t possible, an extended deadline will almost always do. As a freelance writer, she continually hopes to deliver material that’sbothentertainingandthought-provoking.

Her work often touches on stories celebrating the exciting uniqueness, the sheer honesty and humor, of Pinoy culture. Just in time for the mystical month of November, Aby writes about the Dark Arts – Pinoy edition.

Publisher & Editor-in Chief Lalaine Chu-Benitez Associate Editor Ana Santos CONTRIBUTING WRITERS UAE, Philippines, USA Aby Yap Anna Lorraine Balita JR Bustamante Bernadette Reyes Jude Cartalaba Bo Sanchez Karen Galarpe Carlito Viriña KC Abalos Chayie Maligalig Krip Yuson David Poarch Lawrence Diche Excel Dyquiangco Rache Hernandez Flordeliz Samonte Shar Matingka Francisco Colayco Toni Loyola Isabelo Samonte Sonny Guzman Ivan Henares Vic Lactaoen Jack Catarata Victor Sollorano Jesse Edep ART DIRECTORS Tom Bolivar Paula Lorenzo Ron Perez CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS UAE Eros Goze Mariyah Gaspacho Christina Linaza Illuminado Ong Donald Rosales CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS PHILIPPINES Dr. Marlon Pecjo Glenn Peter-Perez Filbert Kung Alan Desiderio Enzo Mondejar CONTRIBUTING STYLISTS & FASHION TEAM UAE Jessie Tabla Ginno Alducente Ushi Sato Jojo Padua Frankie Melendez PUBLISHER - UAE Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC 2nd Floor, Building 2, P.O. Box 72280 Office 20C Dubai Media City, UAE Tel: +9714 365 4543, 365 4547 Fax:+9714 360 4771 E-mail: admin@illustrado.net, info@illustrado.net Web: www.illustrado.net, www.illustradolife.com PRINTERS PRINTWELL PRINTING LLC P.O. Box 18828 Dubai, UAE Copyright Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC 2006-2011. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC.

CONTENTS

52 NOV 2011

Kayumanggi beauty Nina Naval-Niemczyk smoulders in Bandoix Flores’ noir ensembles in this month’s enigmatic fashion editorial – “Black Magic.”

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FEATURES

Illuminati : What’s Weird and What’s Not 10 Filipino Hollywood Mafia 14 The Jewelmer Pearl: Mother Nature’s Masterpiece 18 Filipino Flavors and Aromas 26 Weird and Wonderful World of Costuming 30 Collectors: Collective Obsessions 34 Tip, Tap, Boom: Drumming Up a Different Kind of Sound 38

REGULAR COLUMNS

Editor’s Note 1 Letters 2 Contributors 8 Illustrado Scrapbook 40 It’s What I Do: Pinoy Talent On-the-Job 78 Pinoy Entrepreneur 80 Pinoy Pro 82 Kabuhayan: Quiddity Arts and Travel 84 Bayanihan Corner 86 Five Things To Do 88 My Pinoy Life in: Vienna, Austria 92 Trippin’:LuxuryMountainRetreatatCampJohnHay96 Onli in da Pilipins: The Dark Arts 100

FASHION

Les Tentativas 44 Black Magic 52 Furne One Delivers Shock and Awe at DFWSS2012 70 Michael Cinco Bags WGSN 2011 Award 72 Runway: Michael Cinco PFW SS2012 73 Runway:AlbertAndradaGrandAllurePFWSS2012 74 Runway: Ezra Santos Slim’s at 50 – PFW SS2012 76

44

12 ILLUMINATI

What’s weird AND WHAT’S NOT

Towards the end of October, I happened to be in Singapore for a literary conference. I took the opportunity, by the by, to have a second launch of my latest title, or 26th book, Lush Life: Essays 2001-2010 (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House), which had its premiere party at the Champagne Room of Manila Hotel.

By Krip Yuson

Some peeps might find that strange, or at least out-of-the-ordinary, having a book launching in a posh setting. But then if you know me and my luck and pluck, you’ll understand the nature of my weirdness — as perhaps among the last of the rugged individualists who also happen to have friends in uncommonly high places.

Another tidbit: Some of the pieces in this second collection of 75 essays representing my regular produce over a decade first appeared in this magazine. It was thus illustrative of the kind of stellar affinities I am rather blessed with. That I also write once a month for a notable publication being produced half a world away not only provides me with expanded readership, but also forces, coerces, inveigles, okay, simply tells me to put on the thinking cap for yet another regular writing deadline.

Illustrado Magazine

In brief, I am grateful for the exercise. As I’ve always told writing students, journalism is good for at least keeping one’s literary muscles flexed. Deadlines are deadlines. Column regularity knows no excuse or caveat; whether you’re down with dengue or have just lost your dog, you can’t rationalize missing out on a regular column deadline.

Anyway, back to Singapore nearing October’s end, after the last conference session we were all treated to a nocturnal boat cruise up and down the Singapore River — which is always a fine experience, however all-too-brief at about half an hour, sliding along on placid waters between riverside cityscapes that are grandly illumined, thus further enhancing the marvelous architectural attractions perennially sprouting up in the hypermodern city state that can do it all.

Docking back at Clarke Quay, we got off the boat and started clustering in groups to resolve where we might have dinner and more drinks — since of course I made sure to bring a single malt whisky bottle, Balvenie Doublewood, for the cruise.

14 ILLUMINATI

Our small huddles wound up getting separated and losing one another, thanks to the milling, jostling throng out on a Friday-night lark at one of the more popular nightspot districts in Lion City. Then too, the crowd that kept streaming along the riverbank pavements and plazas were now joined, and entertained, by characters that were decidedly seasonal.

Latin American writer, I would up the ante and invite the skeptic to come and spend a week in Manila — maybe at the very heart of our primate city, in Quiapo, and live with a family there, and stare out the window as a daily activity.

It was Halloween weekend, we realized, when an extremely tall fellow, on stilts as it turned out, materialized out of nowhere to tower over the crowd, in a scarifying mask at that. Soon another strange figure came from out of the blue to “terrify” a squealing squad of youngsters. It looked like a yellow blob, but was wielding a rapier.

Someone said to my ear that it was a character from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series.

I started taking pictures, moving closer and closer, until the creature turned its “ire” on me, and “got” me with a sword-point to my jugular. That, too, was recorded on camera by an alert friend. And it was sent via Facebook later in the night, not so much to alarm my kids back home, but to “entertain” them with Dad’s comeuppance on a foreign shore, as it were.

Well, no matter that here was no stranger in a strange land — this old geezer who sometimes claims to have seen it all. But I guess it was funnily weird that even as the kids were preparing for their own annual trick-or-treat rites in the old neighborhood, their dad was already getting it in the neck a couple of nights before the eve of All Saints’ Day.

The point of this anecdote may be the “suggestment”— as we Filipinos like to burlesque our second tongue in funnily weird ways — that what used to be weird increasingly finds ready acceptance in this day and age. Is there nothing weird anymore that’s also not seen as plausibly wonderful, and attended by humor at that?

Speaking before a literature class at Singapore Management University, I tried to cite the wondrous material that we Filipino writers appear to enjoy as a birthright. I recounted how I often had to deflect questions raised by foreign Filipinists (usually an Aussie know-it-all) regarding our manner and mode of fiction. They’d ask how come Pinoy short story writers seem to still be trying their hand at magic realism a la Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

After pointing out that Nick Joaquin had already been producing marvelous fiction of that sort well before Marquez or any other

Illustrado Magazine

The author “gets it” in the neck at Clarke Quay in Singapore, on a Halloween weekend.

Then he’d see, if he came on a January, how grown men engage in a mighty jostle just to have a hankie wiped on a slowly moving image of the Black Christ borne on a resplendent carroza also holding many brawny men.

Or on another day, witness how a troop of heavily armed law enforcers will raid a community built around a mosque, to confiscate illegal DVD items being sold by modern “pirates.”

Better yet, one afternoon he may espy a tabloid hawker passing by, raising a front page where the bold headline screams: “Woman gives birth to fish!”

All those, I say, are instances of magic realism that we Pinoys experience on a quotidian basis. So what’s weird about writing factually about our daily lives, especially since it’s all so wonderful, and funny?

Nothing. Nothing weird about it all.

16 FEATURE

HOLLYWOOD who like adobo MAFIA and sticky rice?

It’s just got to be Pinoy!

A Pinoy group calling itself the Filipino Hollywood Mafia proves Pinoy talent is world-class. Karen Galarpe chats with some of its members and gets behind the Pinoy brand of wheeling and dealing going on in Tinseltown.

Photos courtesy of Cheryl Mulingbayan.

When singer and actress Mandy Moore walked down the red carpet at the Oscars early this year, Filipinos rejoiced! Moore, after all, wore a gown by Filipino designer Monique Lhuillier. Designer Oliver Tolentino also dressed up fellow Filipinos who walked the red carpet: nominees Matthew Libatique (cinematographer of “Black Swan”) and Gigi Dement (a producer of the short film “God of Love”). But there was more rejoicing when three Filipino-American producers — Dement, Stefanie Walmsley and Stephen Dypiangco — won an Oscar this year for Best Live Action Short Film.

Their achievements, once again, underscore the fact that Filipinos have world-class talent. And nowhere does Pinoy talent seemingly shine the brightest now than in Tinseltown itself, glamorous Hollywood.

From fashion to TV and film, young people with Filipino blood running in their veins are making their mark in the entertainment industry. And so to unite these Pinoys, a group was formed in 2008 — the Filipino Hollywood Mafia (FHM).

Illustrado Magazine

The group was founded by TV executive Cheryl Mulingbayan and Brian Robles who work in reality TV development. Since then, its membership — only by referral — has steadily grown. “It has become a community of friends with networking organically built in. Through events and social media, we promote each other’s work, post jobs, and raise money for charitable causes,” said Mulingbayan, currently the Vice President of Development of Picture This Television. PR executive Rembrandt Flores of Entertainment Fusion Group said that among the group’s members are “actors, writers, producers, directors, publicists, lawyers, editors, journalists, hosts - pretty much anyone who works in entertainment. The group is about coming together as Filipinos, working together, socializing and sharing that common bond of being Filipino.” And, just in case there are still any doubts, the information on their Facebook page reads: “Filipino Hollywood Mafia! We are a Filipino social networking group who work in TV and Film. We are strong because we eat Adobo and White Sticky Rice!”

FHM regularly holds networking mixers, which are sometimes

FEATURE 17

held with other Filipino and Asian entertainment groups. And like other Pinoys around the world, they meet up to eat, sing karaoke, or cheer on Manny Pacquiao during his fights.

Among the group’s members are Grace Borrero, manager of development at Style Network; Stewart Cavanaugh, unscripted (reality TV) agent at Rebel Entertainment; Robert Baltazar, director of development at USA Network; Tzarina EdillonLongfellow, director of development at Fly on the Wall Productions; Jaime Hernandez-Bache who is with the production department of NBC Universal; and Teresa Herrera, former host of “Project Runway Philippines.”

Recently, FHM member Michael Carandang who is with “America’s Next Top Model Cycle 18” shared the news that the contestants on the show will be wearing one-of-a-kind designs by Oliver Tolentino — which just goes to show how members support each other.

Has our time come?

That Pinoys’ names are appearing more and more in TV and film credits and entertainment news makes one wonder — has our time finally come? Is this the long-awaited moment where Filipinos have penetrated mainstream Hollywood?

“Yes, we are long overdue for the spotlight!” said Mulingbayan. “I believe there has always been Filipino talent, both in Hollywood and internationally, but now there are many platforms from which to discover them. And the more we see these Filipino rising stars, the more young Pinoys will want to pursue a similar path in entertainment.”

Hollywood Walk of Fame

Flores, however, believes that “the time” started back a decade ago. “I feel it has been the Filipino’s time in Hollywood for the last 10 years! We have been banging on that door for quite some time. Filipinos have always been trying to penetrate Hollywood via film, TV and fashion but it is only lately that some of them have gotten to a level where mainstream Hollywood is taking notice. I think a bunch of us have slowly been opening the door wider and wider so my hope is that one day it will be WIDE open for the millions of talented Filipinos out there. To this day, I don’t think there is enough Pinoy presence on film, TV, airwaves and fashion.”

Does race get in the way?

Being Filipino, however, sometimes has a bearing on someone’s career. “Regardless of what anyone tells you, race is always an issue,” stressed Flores. “It may be unsaid, but the truth of the matter is, it absolutely is. Since I am not pursuing a career as an actor or host, I don’t think I encounter as much difficulty. As a PR executive, I don’t think people care if I am Filipino or not. I actually think it helps as I have recently garnered business with Filipino brands so they like the fact that I have Filipino blood.”

But Mulingbayan revealed this has not been the case with her career.

“There is difficulty making it in Hollywood of course, but I can’t say my race has ever counted against me. There’s a saying in Hollywood – ‘The cream always rises to the top’ – and I believe that pure talent and work ethic will be recognized and rewarded,” she said. “I did not have a built-in network or family connections when I moved to Los Angeles. I started at the bottom, worked my butt off, and

Pinoys making a mark in Hollywood - from left to right, Rembrandt Flores, Jason Rogel and Eric Garcia

18 FEATURE

Lea Salonga

Apl. de Ap Charice Pempengco

it has since paid off. Filipino actors, writers and directors may find more difficulty getting seen, read and noticed, but all of the major studios and networks have diversity programs in place to promote the hiring of minority talent. While I am seeing more and more Filipinos represented in TV and film, we still have a ways to go.”

Who to watch out for

Arnel Pineda

Trailblazing Pinoys

Notwithstanding the challenges, more Filipinos are expected to shine even brighter in Hollywood.

A number of Filipinos have made their mark already in Hollywood, blazing the trail for a new crop of talented Pinoys:

Mulingbayan cited some among FHM members: “Jason Rogel is an actor who was featured in Syfy’s ‘Swamp Shark,’ was a regular on ABC Family’s ‘State of Georgia,’ and was also featured on ‘Supah Ninjas’ on Nickelodeon. Supah Ninjas, the first show to feature an Asian-American family at its heart in 16 years, was co-created

by Eric Garcia, a very talented writer/showrunner who also cocreated ‘Afro-Samarai’ for Cartoon Network. And while he already has an impressive body of work, I would definitely keep an eye on filmmaker/writer Quark Henares.”

LEA SALONGA: From landing the lead in the musical “Miss Saigon” and bagging a Tony and a Lawrence Olivier Award, among others, Lea has also lent her voice to Disney princesses Jasmine in “Alladin” and Fa Mulan in “Mulan”.

And who can fail to notice boxer Nonito Donaire? “I have been keeping my eye on (him),” Flores said. “Also, this singer/songwriter that reminds me of Bruno Mars, August Rigo. Of course, there is my friend Darren Criss [who is in ‘Glee’] whose star is rising and rising and I couldn’t be more proud.”

“I think we will only see more Filipino talent emerge in the coming years,” Mulingbayan said, an observation shared no doubt by millions of Pinoys worldwide who have long been waiting for the spotlight to shine brightly on Filipino talent.

Illustrado Magazine

CHARICE: Discovered on YouTube, Charice became a household name in the US when she guested on “Ellen” and “Oprah”. From then on came the hit song “Pyramid”, tours with David Foster and Friends, and guest appearances on the popular TV show “Glee”.

ARNEL PINEDA: The rocker from Olongapo now makes fans worldwide scream their lungs out whenever he sings live with legendary rock band Journey.

APL.DE.AP: One of the members of the famous group The Black-Eyed Peas, apl.de.ap (Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr. in real life), gave global audiences a taste of Pinoy music with the rap song “Bebot,” which was even featured in the TV show “Ugly Betty.”

20 FEATURE

THE JEWELMER PEARL: Mother Nature’s Masterpiece When Mother Nature was deciding how to divide her gifts of beauty and bounty, she was obviously kind to Palawan. To the long, narrow Philippine island, she bestowed a depth and breadth of wealth in the form of biodiversity and natural wonders like the Tubbataha Reefs and Underground River. It is also only in the tropical waters of Palawan where the largest pearl-bearing oyster in the world, the Pinctada maxima, gives birth to the rare golden South Sea pearls. Anna Oposa takes a dive in these waters and discovers the delicate painstaking process of nurturing South Sea Pearls.

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FEATURE 21

While most people only see oysters as a seafood dish that enjoys the reputation of being an aphrodisiac, the company Jewelmer distinguishes the Pinctada maxima oyster as a biological indicator of a healthy environment and a source of Filipino pride. Pearls are known to be the only organic, non-extractive gems. The wealthy Philippine seas serve as the liquid cocoon of these jewels which are also known as “green gems.”

Jewelmer is the brainchild of French periculturist Jacques Branellec and Filipino businessman Manuel Cojuangco. The partners began cultivating these living gems in their Palawan pearl farm in 1979.

Since then, Jewelmer has been recognized as the leading producer of Philippine South Sea pearls to the world market. Though Branellec is French, he considers the Philippines home. His heart reflects the luster of the pearls they culture. In the first Jewelmer fashion show done in the Paris, he delivered a moving welcome address where he said: “If there was a Nobel Prize for hospitality, smile, and gentleness, it would go to the Philippines and the Filipino.”

A clean environment adds to the luster of pearls The management of Jewelmer readily admits that keeping the environment clean is to their best interest. Obviously, their luxurious business depends on it. But a visit to their pearl farm or a conversation with any of the company’s employees will reveal that the love for the Philippine seas and trees has become intrinsic.

The complexities involved in pearl operation and fragility of the environment require a genuine respect for nature. The sincerity of the Jewelmer team is almost palpable and always infectious. A big, burly American who visited the pearl farm was spotted picking up a flower from the ground and tucking it behind his ear. “This is possibly the most beautiful place I’ve been to,” said the well-traveled foreigner.

“This island and you Filipinos make me want to wear a flower in my hair.”

Meticulously grown and a result of Filipino genius Jewelmer itself is a showcase of Filipino genius. When the company was trying to come up with the formula for the golden pearl that Jewelmer is now famous for, they called on scientists from all over the world. They searched as near as Japan, and as far as Britain and America. They did not have to look far after all; it was a Filipina, a Cebuana from the University of San Carlos, who developed the perfect technology. To this day, she still works in Jewelmer.

The marine scientists, biologists, and divers in the pearl farm are all Filipino. Most of them come from the Visayan region. It is the dedication, passion, and patience of these resident pearl farmers that give birth to the golden South Sea pearls. For an oyster to produce a single pearl, the farmers take 323 precise steps over a course of 4-6 years.

22 FEATURE

In the wild, the formation of a pearl is a defense mechanism. The oyster encloses an irritant, like a grain of sand, with layers of crystals.

This is replicated in the Jewelmer laboratory. No normal processes are interrupted and no other living things are disturbed to create the pearl. The farmers and scientists merely dip their hands in a natural cycle to help an oyster form a pearl.

earned only after years of experience in pearl operation. The master grafter carefully inserts a nucleus and a piece of mantle from a donor oyster into another oyster’s sexual organ. These nuclei are imported from the Mississippi River.

The research for this arduous procedure began with a team of marine biologists observing and studying the reproductive and growth patterns of Pinctada maxima oysters collected from the wild. The team then determined ten species of planktons among tens of thousands for the oysters to feed on. Planktons are microorganisms that occupy the bottom of the marine food chain. They are the favorite food of animals as big as whale sharks and as small as the Pinctada maxima oysters.

The oysters are returned to the baskets and back into Philippine seas. For the next two-three years, divers will flip the baskets every two-three days to help the pearls grow in perfect spheres. Every six months, each oyster is cleaned and x-rayed to monitor its shape and growth. This stage is much like an audition; only the most suitable candidates are handpicked for the second round of nuclei insertion.

If the oysters pass the master grafter’s scrutiny based on the highest standards of color, strength, and growth potential, then another nucleus (usually a larger one) is inserted and the laborious process is repeated.

The making of green gems

The birth, the harvest

The life of the rare golden South Sea pearl begins at the state-ofthe art facility called the hatchery. This is where the genetically superior oyster stocks are made and the ten plankton species are grown. The baby oysters are placed in baskets and submerged in the sea. For the next three years, the pearl farmers will record all weather and marine variations that may affect the young ones, such as temperature, salinity, and plankton density. Like any food chain, there are predators that can interfere with their growth. Only 5-10% of the hatchery-born oysters make it to adulthood. Though it seems like a dismal number, it is still much better than the 0.01% survival rate in the open sea.

The harvest is the much-awaited moment in the pearl farm. Those who have the opportunity to witness the master grafter extract a pearl from the lips of the Pinctada maxima will literally hold their breaths. Each harvest is a miracle, and each pearl is unique. Some have deformities, such as dents, holes, or bizarre appendages. A single strand of pearls can take up to five years to make. One would have to go through about 35,000 pearls to find the thirty-five required to make a string of peals with the exact shape and shade.

After the three years just for the pre-operation phase, the oysters will finally be ready for grafting. This process is performed in the lab by an expert technician called a master grafter. This prestigious title is

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Next time you think of engagement rings, consider this: diamonds grow in darkness and are mined, while pearls thrive in abundant sunlight, clean air, and extremely pristine waters. The production of the rare golden South Sea pearls proves that the environment and man can successfully co-exist. Every single pearl is Mother Nature’s masterpiece.

24 ADVERTORIAL

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moisture: Dove Body Wash NutriumMoisture™ gives your skin the nourishment it requires and locks it in to leave your skin feeling soft and smooth, long after your shower. Dove Beauty bar provides deep nourishment that is PH neutral, which means it’s gentle on skin and contains ¼ moisturizing cream making it soft and clean, so your skin won’t feel dry. Show off your confidence: Dove Deodorant range keeps your underarms feeling soft and fresh all day long while the ¼ moisturizing cream helps care for your skin.

Wash away the damage: Dove Damage Therapy shampoo with fiber active technology, repairs hair on the inside and leaves each strand beautifully soft and silky on the outside. Replenish your radiant skin: Dove Body Lotions and Creams nourish skin deep down so it feels smooth and soft throughout the day. Nourish your skin with

Free Osteoporosis Bone Health Check popular demand, continued until the 22nd October. One thousand women benefited from the free service and nutritional consultation.

The Walk aimed to help raise awareness on the ‘silent disease,’ Osteoporosis, which is now a major health risk in the UAE, and can cause bones to breakdown and increase the risk of fracture.

Women are particularly susceptible to the disease and regular exercise, exposure to sunlight and a diet rich in vitamin D and calcium are essential to help prevent it. In an independent survey unveiled by Anlene in October, over 40% of women in the UAE are at risk of not getting enough sunlight to source essential levels of Vitamin D and nearly 20% of this group are never exposed to the sun at all.

To coincide with World Osteoporosis Day on the 20th October, free bone health check was provided by Anlene throughout the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s (IOF) ‘Walk for Your Bones’ event at the Dubai Festival City on the 21st October, and due to

The ‘Lifestyle for Lifelong Bones’ research, which canvassed both Emirati nationals and foreign residents also revealed that 60% of women take only an hour of exercise or less a week, with over half of that group (31%) not taking any exercise at all.

OSN Seals Partnership Deal with Kapatid TV 5 “With this partnership, we’re bringing even more quality programming for the growing Filipino community in the Middle East and North Africa, becoming its premier source for quality news, sports and entertainment,” said Emad Morcos, Vice-President, OSN. Kapatid TV5 is now being seen throughout MENA via OSN’s Channel 165 on DTH, while Aksyon TV on Channel 166 on DTH. Meanwhile, Claro Ramirez, President, Pilipinas Global Network (PGN) said, “We’re delighted to bring our game-changing brand of programming to a wider footprint throughout the region via OSN.” OSN recently signed an agreement with the Philippines’ Kapatid TV5 to formally seal their partnership to deliver premium Filipino entertainment, news and sports programmes to the Filipino expatriate community in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

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OSN marked the formal launch of these channels with an exciting 5 event-in-one-weekend celebration on November 3 to 5, 2011 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It was attended by leading Kapatid TV5 artists, Aga Muhlach, Ruffa Gutierrez, Shalala, and Side A.

EZRA DUBAI

EZRA FASHION DESIGN ezrafd@emirates.net.ae / ezra@ezrashiondesign.com +971 4 395 5385 www.ezrafshiondesign.com

26 FEATURE

Filipino Flavors & Aromas

Coffee out of a cat and cigars that taste of honey? Mary Ann Marchadesch uncovers the weird and wonderful world of Filipino flavors and aromas.

Discovering the good things in life can be an adventure, especially in the Philippines. Some are products of innovation and ingenuity. Some will require a broad mind, an adventurous palate and a hefty wallet to partake in. And sometimes they literally do come from the oddest places.

Chocolate : spicy, salty and fruity

In the Philippines, chocolates range from the humble yet mighty Chocnut to artisanal bars made from the finest cacao beans. One of the most popular new chocolates on the local market is the Theo & Philo chocolate company, which manufactures and sells not only dark- and milk-chocolate bars made solely from locally-produced beans, but also imbues its chocolates with a variety of unusual flavors — ginger, pili and pinipig, green mango and salt, calamansi, and siling labuyo.

Current best-selling flavors are the green mango-and-salt and the labuyo (you get the pepper’s spicy kick in the aftertaste). “Time and again we come up with new flavors,” says entrepeneur Philo Chua, who started his company in 2010. Theo & Philo take particular pride

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in being “the only bean-to-bar chocolate from the Philippines” — meaning, unlike other chocolate makers who combine cacao beans from various sources to get the desired flavor, texture and consistency, Theo & Philo sources its beans directly from Davao, currently the hub of cacao production in the Philippines.

Right now there are no plans to expand Theo & Philo’s market abroad — while the chocolates are growing in popularity, Chua wants to concentrate first on quality, not quantity. So far, their chocolate (priced at PHP95 a bar) is available in selected stores in and around Manila, as well as in Tagaytay and in Dumaguete City. So if you’re a Filipino expat desperate for an exquisite taste of home, call your nearest and dearest and let them know this is the best possible pasalubong they could send.

FEATURE 27

Civet coffee: the journey from tree, to cat’s stomach to your cup

The world’s rarest and most expensive coffee is sweet, rich and aromatic, a delicacy prized the world over. It’s a great source of Southeast Asian pride, because its primary producers are Indonesia and the Philippines. And it comes out of cat poo.

Well, that’s not strictly true. The Asian palm civet, while often called a civet cat or a toddy cat, isn’t actually a cat but a viverrid, a small, Old World mammal — but what’s important here is that the bit about the coffee coming out of its poo is accurate. And if you’re going to drink something taken from the excrement of an animal, you could do much worse than the civet, which has a fussy connoisseur’s nose for the finest, ripest berries.

president of the Philippine Coffee Board. Civets, which live in the foliage of coffee plantations, eat a steady diet of berries. Enzymes in the civet’s digestive system break down the fruit, leaving only the beans, which are then harvested, cleaned and roasted. It’s a low-production coffee bean, which accounts for its high price. The delicious flavor, on the other hand, accounts for its appeal among coffee enthusiasts all over the world.

You’d think that civet coffee sellers might want to gloss over how this particular coffee is made, but in fact, its provenance is one of its draws. “Its appeal is the story of how it’s harvested — the long journey from tree to civet’s stomach to your cup,” says Chit Juan,

Civet coffee is also commonly called Kopi luwak, as well as kape alamid or motit coffee in the Philippines, where its popularity is growing. “It has a market locally, especially as a gift item,” says Juan.

Buko juice: Good to the last drop In the movie Who Am I?, Jackie Chan is a Special Ops commando who develops amnesia and joins a tribe in the desert. One day he comes to the rescue of a Japanese rally driver who has crashed his car after getting bitten by a snake by putting together a makeshift IV using rubber tubing and hooking it up to a coconut, providing the injured man with much-needed nutrients intravenously and saving his life.

Long story short: Jackie Chan is awesome, and coconut water is good for you. It is, in fact, very good for you. It hydrates you, it’s fat-free and low in carbs, it’s high in potassium, and it’s chock-full of antioxidants.

There’s also nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day than fresh buko juice, drunk straight from the coconut. The next best thing is packaged coconut water – and none other than President Aquino himself has brought back the news that growing US interest

could bring profit to local buko product entrepreneurs and boost the planting of more coconut trees in the country, as the supply has been dwindling. Coconut water is a fast-growing international business.

It has been recently reported that beverage giant PepsiCo is looking into distributing “coco water” in the US, with the possibility of the Philippines as its primary source. Cheers!

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Cigars: Flavored to your taste (or puff away on new flavors)

Tobacco was brought to the country in the 16th century by the Spanish, and now tabako is as Pinoy as anything. We’ve even come up with new ways of enjoying it — such as flavored cigars.

Flavored cigars are an acquired taste. Some purists balk at adding anything else to cigars’ already pungent natural flavor, believing that the artificial essence only takes away from it. There’s also a gender element that comes into play here: flavored cigars are generally considered “women’s cigars” — presumably because it’s not considered manly to enjoy the infusion of honey in one’s cigar. But a real man wouldn’t let such artificial restrictions stop him from trying out something new, and flavored cigar aficionados love the variety and the smoothness of their favorite brands.

If you want to give flavored cigars a try, Flor de Filipinas’ panetelas come in five flavors: honey nectar, cherry blossom, spiced rhum, chocolate truffle and vanilla crème. More adventurous or openminded palates, whether male or female, might want to check them out.

Ylang-ylang: Get a whiff of this Take a whiff of some of the world’s most famous perfumes and you may just detect a fragrant hint of something you may have in your own front garden or back yard. Ylang-ylang, or Cananga odorata, or ilang-ilang is an evergreen flowering plant native to Indonesia and the Philippines, and is currently grown throughout the region as well as the South Pacific and the Comoros Islands. This “Flower of Flowers” is one of the world’s most exotic floral scents and is used extensively by major perfumeries such as Parfums Christian Dior, the House of Guerlain, and most famously Chanel, with their celebrated Chanel No. 5.

The soothing scent of ylang-ylang is popular in aromatherapy, where it is used for relaxation and even as a sleeping aid. In some parts of the world it can be an aphrodisiac. Its soft, sweet floral scent can be quite complex — it can not only soothe and relax even the most stressed-out of people, but it can also arouse the strongest passions in them.

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The Comoros Islands off Madagascar may currently produce 80% of the world’s supply of ylang-ylang oil, but the Philippines is catching up. The town of Anao, Tarlac is one of the country’s leading producers of ylang-ylang essential oil thanks to its Aroma Anao project, a co-operative venture of the local government which encourages the townsfolk to grow ylang-ylang in their own yards.

With the growing worldwide demand for ylang-ylang oil, now’s the time for entrepreneurial expats to get in on the ground floor of this blooming business.

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Weird and Wonderful:

THE WORLD

OF COSTUMING

Pink hair, giant swords and fur. Eyepatches, plastic armor and wings. These things may not fit your notion of formal attire, but it’s definitely fancy wear for a sub-group of fashionable dressers known as “cosplayers” and “costumers.” Regina Layug-Rosero, a cosplayer herself, takes us down the rabbit hole of make-believe, into this weird and wonderful world of costuming.

In Manila, there are some events where the dress code cannot be classified as “semi-formal” or “red carpet chic.” At least, not in the events where costumers and cosplayers can be found. Here, dress codes are more like themes such as science fiction, fantasy, anime and movie events.

With so many cosplayers, costumers, and contests in the Philippines, it’s not surprising that various organizations have formed in an attempt to organize them. Let’s take a closer look.

Black Pearl Philippines: Scoundrels and Scalawags Founded by columnist and manager Karen Kunawicz, this merry band of scoundrels and damsels is devoted to The Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. These pirates can recite lines from the movie by heart, and can tell you the life story of each character from each movie — no matter if that character was only onscreen for five minutes. Some members, like Karen and her cousin Hank Palenzuela, enthusiastically dress up as characters Tia Dalma and pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, while others, like Tom Matic, happily wear the uniforms of the British Royal Navy.

But why dress up in costume? Karen says, “I’ve always loved it. Even when I was little, I have always been attracted to things that were magical, out of the ordinary, fun, unusual, different and expressive.

I love it because it’s a lot of fun and it taps into humanity’s ability to dream, and because I think it involves a sense of humor.”

Most of them make their costumes out of found parts from thrift or ukay ukay shops found all over the Philippines. Striped pants, vests,

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FEATURE 33

short coats and ruffled blouses are great finds, and cheap boots quite the prize. Tricorns or pirate hats are a bit hard to find, so Black Pearl Philippines (BPP) keeps a repository of these hats and lends them to members as needed, while the rest are happy with bandanas and skull-and-crossbones accessories.

The BPP members are a merry bunch: some writers, some musicians, others students or artists. Karen is also a poet, while Hank is a musician and bartender. On the other hand, Mark, in his early twenties, is a debater. There are two Lynns: one is a teacher, and the other is a singer and an actress. Some are in their teens, others are married or have children, but all are devotees of pirate lore and proud to call themselves geeky pirates.

Wonderful pirates Unlike their imaginary counterparts, these raiders and pillagers are not after your money — at least, not for their own treasure chests.

Every Christmas finds these scalawags at the Silahis ng Kalusugan (SNK) school, where pediatric patients of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) study. The students there are smart and lively, but are prevented from attending regular school by illnesses such as cancer, leukemia, heart conditions or other health difficulties.

Their medicines, treatments and therapies are not cheap, and their parents are not wealthy either, so any assistance is always welcome.

The pirates of BPP work year-round to make sure that SNK gets a smashing, rollicking Christmas party, complete with great food, gifts for every child, and games, as well as songs and dances. The pirates also try to raise funds to help the parents with medicine, wheelchairs and whatever else they might need. Unsavory characters they may seem to be, but beneath those sea-worthy threads are hearts of gold.

The 501st Legion: Scum and Villainy From shipwrecks and treasure to spaceships and bounty: so enters the 501st Legion. Comprised of a worldwide membership, the 501st Legion is known as Vader’s Fist, and is a membership club of fans who wear costumes based on villainous characters from the Star Wars universe. That means Darth Vader, Admiral Thrawn, and even Jabba the Hutt!

This international costuming club was founded in 1997 by Albin Johnson of North Carolina, USA. Structured like a military organization, the 501st emulates the armies of the Galactic Empire by referring to regional units as garrisons and outposts. The 501st has units in over 70 countries, in all seven continents (yes, even Africa and Antarctica), and has almost 5,000 members. Locally, the 501st is represented by the Philippine Outpost.

Many members of the 501st wear white armor, whether they be stormtrooper, sandtrooper, or biker scout. The clones are primarily white, but thanks to the TV show Star Wars: The Clone Wars, you have armor decorated in green, yellow and red, too.

The armor costumes are usually made out of fiberglass or plastic, and are accented with paint, electronics, metal and cloth. Cloth costumes are made with a variety of fabrics, from wool to cotton, velvet to satin, leather to canvas. Whatever the material used, the 501st ensures one thing: all costumes are as accurate as possible. If you’re trying to join the Legion, your costume will be scrutinized from head to toe, back to front and sometimes even inside and out, just to confirm that your costume looks exactly like what you would see in the movie or the TV series.

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There’s a price to pay for such accuracy, though: the costumes tend to be very uncomfortable. But the troopers are willing to don their costumes just to bring smiles to kids and adults alike.

Philippine Outpost Membership Liaison Luis Cacho says, “Some people collect Star Wars action figures, while some people want to be Star Wars action figures! I think I belong in both categories.

It was just a dream at first, but now it really feels like I’m living the dream. I love everything about costuming, from building to trooping!”

Adds Luis, “I think Filipinos love costuming and cosplay because it reflects our childhood. It’s the same with toys, they are popular because people want something that reminds them of the time when they were eight or nine. Filipinos grew up with anime, toons, tv and movies. They captured our imagination and made us happy. “ Most people might dismiss the 501st as merely a bunch of diehard Star Wars fanatics, but they serve a higher real-life cause.

When they make appearances, they do not charge a talent fee, but instead request a donation to charity. Called “The bad guys who do good,” the 501st raised over US$1 million worldwide in donations in 2010 alone, and have helped groups like Kythe, the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, the Philippine General Hospital, the Starlight Foundation, and many more.

Oftentimes, the Philippine Outpost joins BPP during their Christmas visits to PGH, bringing good cheer and laughter to children in incubators and hospital beds. They are ready to assist during times of crisis as well: in 2009, the Philippine Outpost raised over PHP150,000 to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

According to Luis, “I think charity is the soul of the 501st. People are always shocked to learn that we do this all for charity. They’re like, it took so much effort to make their armor, then they just troop for free? That’s the time when the people see the honor, soul and the genius of the Philippine 501st and the 501st as a whole.”

Just like the pirates, these bad guys and gals aren’t so bad after all.

Know your costume terminology What’s the difference between cosplayers and costumers?

Cosplayers and costumers are usually young and not-so-young people who like to dress up as characters from their fandoms: that is, their favorite TV shows, movies and even books and comics.

Cosplayers are people who engage in “cosplay” or “costume play,” which originated in Japan. Most people think of cosplayers as kids who love anime and dress up as Japanese schoolgirls, but the idea behind cosplay is really to dress up and act like a particular character. You’ll see cosplayers dressing up as Gundam or Ruroni Kenshin or someone from the show Bleach.

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Costumers like to differentiate themselves as being dedicated not to the character’s persona, but to the craft of building the costume. While many cosplayers in the Philippines build their costumes out of Styrofoam, cardboard, cloth and other storebought props, costumers tend to take it a step further and mold their own fiberglass and plastic, stitch their own clothes and sometimes even make their own shoes, guns and swords. Fans of video games like Halo and World of Warcraft often build armor and props that look good enough to withstand real impact. These guys and gals usually prefer to be called “costumers.”

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COLLECTORS:

Collective Obsessions Compiled by Ana P. Santos

In this world, there are enthusiasts, connoisseurs, aficionados. And then, there are collectors whose sometimes almost manic fixation to amass quantities of certain objects make them a combination of all three.

Ana P. Santos takes a tentative step into the world of collective obsessions.

Michael Fillon

Creative Group Head Collective Obsession: Highend action figures Collector Code Name: The Toy Boy Boys will be boys and for some men, that means never outgrowing their fascination with toys. And for men like Michael Fillon, he has enough action figures to re-live his boyhood several times over.

His Toy Story I collect 12-inch figures from manufacturers such as Hot Toys, Sideshow and Medicom, along with figures from Hasbro and McFarlane.

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It all started with collecting old GI Joes five years ago. It was my way of reliving my childhood. Every new figure or vehicle would remind me of something from the past - it was like time traveling. Then I discovered a line of figures made for big kids like myself: extremely detailed, high-end action figures that grown ups would appreciate for their craftsmanship, while still capturing the nostalgia that delights the kid in us.

I just love the idea of manufactured toys. I love the American idea of creating playable merchandise out of cartoons and movies. Once I got into collecting, I gravitated towards more serious, rarer finds.

I, for example, look out for humanistic details and “pose-ability”.

Many of my figures are still in their original packaging. Sometimes I get two pieces of the same figure, so I can open one and keep the other sealed.

FEATURE 37 But I’m lucky my wife understands me. When we were on holiday in Singapore, we saw a Cobra Commander action figure on sale. We were at the end of our trip and had gone through our whole traveling budget. My wife knew what it meant to me, so she pulled out her emergency fund. Now that’s love.

Tips for would be toy boy collectors Explore toy/collector stores whenever and wherever you travel, from US to the Philippines. Always check their value on ebay and keep track of your collection’s worth. It’s like checking the state of your stock shares.

On what to collect: what separates the men from the boys. Figures from certain manufacturers, like Hot Toys, are automatically collectable because they make figures in limited quantities.

Sometimes, you just have to have a hunch; if you predict the movie version of that cartoon figure is coming out, chances are that toy’s value will also start to rise.

Jimi Buenconsejo

Fashion Designer Collective Obsession: Jason Wu dolls Collector Codename: Hello, (Jason Wu) dolly!

Where high fashion meets drama and imagination I stumbled upon a Jason Wu doll on ebay. I was so fascinated by how insanely fabulous they all looked. Imagine, dolls elaborately dressed in Jason Wu couture; resplendent in their superior engineering and high-end aesthetics and of course, fashionable detailed clothing.

But more than my appreciation for the aesthetic quality and its craftsmanship, it was my imagination that was held captive by the story behind each Jason Wu doll. It all started with Veronique Perrin, CEO of W Cosmetics and Natalia Fatale of Massimo Cosmetics, their rivalry makes for a delicious never-ending story. That’s why its so tempting to collect other characters mainly models and celebrities.”

Fierce favorite I now have 30 Jason Wu dolls and I bought a special cabinet just to accommodate all of them. Some come from the US, some from Spain and others from Singapore. It’s also a perfect way of showing off the dolls to all my friends. I love all of them but I am very fond of Agnes Von Weiss because of her fierce look. She is a larger than life extravagant character who also appoints herself fashion designer to the elite and launched her own high-end brand.

The weirdest thing I’ve done was to appoint photographer Eros Goze to do a fashion shoot for my collection. It was awesome!

Never too old to play with dolls

There is a yearly event of Fashion Royalty dolls by Jason Wu. I would love to someday be able to attend to this prestigious event where they showcase their newest collection.

People may think its crazy but it gives me great pleasure to simply look at my dolls and dress them up. Collecting dolls is definitely not for everybody, but it definitely keeps me young at heart.

Tips for getting all dolled up: Designers are either fitting, sewing and designing for a live human or an inanimate mannequin version of a female. They are thus expected to be on very personal and intimate terms with the female form. But collector Jimi Buenconsejo has a deep connection even with its miniature version.

Order directly through retailers or on ebay. Look to your travels for collector opportunities. Join groups and forums of like-minded people. There’s a lot of doll collector websites and groups. From here, you can get information from other on how to properly take care of your dolls.

38 FEATURE

Arlene Jane Camus Knof

Medical Technologist/ Cellulite Therapist Collective Obsession: All things purple Collector Codename: “La vie en violet” My Life in Purple It’s easy to spot her by the purple camera she always carries. But as it turns out, that’s just the beginning of how Arlene Jane (who calls herself AJ Purple) looks at life through her purple colored glasses.

Purple is the color of happiness I really love the color purple. It has been my favorite color since I was six years old. It makes me so happy.

I feel beautiful and comfortable every time I have purple on my body. For me, purple is the warmest and coolest colors. It’s the color of sexiness, the color of royalty, the color of happiness, the color of all things pretty!

Purple this, purple that

Documenting a purple life

Actually, I love all of the purple stuff I have accumulated over the years. Most of my collection is kept in my closet but some are displayed in my room. Every single one of them has a separate and unique personality. They are all my favorites.

Some day, I hope to organize and record all my purple collection in little database. What I would require is something simple, just a place where I can create a little page for each item, indicate why it is relevant and attach a picture of it.

But, my most treasured possession is my one pair of earrings and purple pendant that was a gift from one of my closest friends who died of breast cancer 22 years ago. I have vowed to keep it until the day I die.

My quirkiest collection item is my purple nail polish. I love to do my nails and whenever I get bored I practice designing my nails. I’ve gotten pretty good with all my practice.

Picture perfect purple My old purple camera is a collector’s item, for sure. Not because it is a camera that is worth a lot of money, but simply because it is a camera that has caught my eye. I always remember the adage, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure,” so your collection will be determined by your own personal taste.

I will never get tired of purple. For me, purple is the perfect color for anything and it is the only color in my life.

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40 FEATURE

TIP, TAP, BOOM:

Drumming up a different kind of sound

A five-gallon mineral water bottle. A baby walker made from rattan. A trash can. To many, these are mundane objects that seemingly serve only a single purpose. Maps Santos explores the world of Jean Paul Zialcita, an international percussionist and member of the music group, Kalayo where, with a bit of improvisation and lots of imagination, these objects are fashioned into tools for creating music.

Jean Paul Zialcita started with a simple five-gallon mineral water bottle in 1998. He discovered the bottle gives out a sound like that of a typical drum and aptly named it the “Aquadrum.”

“It sounded fantastic,” Paul remarked about the sound when he first tapped on a mineral water bottle.

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The “Tap” Test

“By nature, percussionists will tap on anything, even on people, just to see what sound they would make,” Paul explained. With the mineral water bottle, Paul discovered a unique musical versatility.

The water bottle gives off different tone frequencies depending on where it is “tapped”: at the center of its base, along the rim or on its side. When filled with water, the bottle will produce sounds that can be fine-tuned to create different notes. The Aquadrum can also be

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Musical Access

These innovative drums with their distinct sound became the epitome of Paul’s principle of creating access to music and making magic from seemingly ordinary things. Gone are the days when you have to have money to purchase a percussion instrument. Now you can create music with the Aquadrum and the Kali Drum with materials that are easily accessible.

“Suddenly, money is no longer a problem. If you have your heart and mind focused on it, making music from these materials is possible,” Paul points out.

Paul actively promotes his musical wonder ensemble of a water bottle, baby walker and the trash can by sharing his knowledge with others. “I was always keen in life that whatever I do, I wanted it to be shared with others,” Paul explained.

Jean Paul Zialcita in one of his sessions with other artists Photo by Maps Santos

played either with your hands or sticks to give different effects and frequencies. Recently, Paul has discovered a new way of playing it: placing it sideways on the lap, with the base facing the knees.

“I love this thing. After doing this for 11 years, I still find ways to innovate this and play it differently.”From an aesthetic stand point, Paul would also add color to the water to represent the hues of reggae or the colors of the Philippine flag.

The Rattan Effect

When Paul started touring with his Aquadrum in early 2000, he stumbled upon a rattan supplier in Paranaque named Remy’s Rattan.

Paul saw a baby walker, locally called andador, made from rattan, mounted the Aquadrum and discovered a perfect complement to his drum. “The andador fit perfectly: its height, its look, the ease with which it can be carried around — it had an exact fit with the bottle.

And it is very Filipino,” said Paul.

A couple of years after the Aquadrum came about, Paul then transformed a trash can into a Kali Drum. While the Aquadrum was discovered by chance, the Kali Drum was inspired by the Japanese taiko (which means “big/fat”) drum. Paul colored the trashcan and mounted it on a wooden stand which he personally designed. The Kali Drum is covered by mylar, an industrial plastic sheet which is more affordable than animal skin used in typical percussion instruments, but does not compromise sound. Paul combined his love for kali or arnis, the national martial arts of the Philippines, when playing the drum. So while the aquadrum is played with a rhythmic tapping, Paul uses arnis movements and makes sounds without a deliberate choreography on the Kali Drum.

Whenever he travels to other countries with his Aquadrum, he always leaves a bottle. He shows people how to play it and encourages them to use it and experiment with it to find their own style of playing it.

Paul has also shared his drums with enterprises with a social cause.

He mentored the boys of the Pangarap Shelter in Pasay City through its Healing and Recovery Program through Music Therapy summer program with aqua-drumming. During those summer months, Paul and his drums played a part in using music as an alternative and wholistic development activity for the boys.

In 2009, Paul made noise for Team Philippines at the Homeless World Cup in Milan, Italy. A social enterprise, the Homeless World Cup uses football to energize homeless people to change their lives with the motto: “Homeless is not hopeless.” In Milan, Paul banged, tapped and drummed out a beat, cheering on the Philippine Team.

Locally, Paul also cheers for the football games of the Azkals. Paul, together with the other kaholeros (the name used for the cheering squad), uses the bottles and trash can as the instrument of choice for “barking.” The mineral water bottle, the baby walker and the trashcan have brought a full circle of satisfaction not only to Paul and his students, but also to his fellow artists who have adapted these instruments to create their own sound. Whether performing on stage, practicing in the backyard of Remy’s Rattan as a soloist, or with students or fellow artists, Paul has found contentment and fulfilment.

“I feel that I have hit my targets with these instruments. I am happy as an artist, I am happy that I can share my knowledge and I am happiest knowing that this music is for everyone, not only for the rich.”

From the seemingly mundane and ordinary, Paul envisioned a way to make sound, create music and join people with a certain rhythm. And in the process, Paul has created a kind of magic that any one willing to tap into it can easily access.

42 ILLUSTRADO SCRAPBOOK A platform for budding Filipino creative talent

Adelle Lumalang Adelle is a happy, positive self-confessed “photoholic.”

Currently the President of Shootercada Photographer’s Circle, a group of Filipino photography enthusiasts based in Abu Dhabi, Adelle says her intense love affair with photography started in 2008 when she decided to explore this visual world that had always tickled her imagination. She says that from the first time she laid her hands on her first DSLR, her singleton life has revolved around photographing people – something that gives her immense pleasure. Adelle is into portraits and weddings and is continuously working to improve her craft to eventually become a pro in the field. On weekends, when not doing fun shoots with her buddies, Adelle can be found on the streets of Abu Dhabi shooting charitable events as a volunteer.

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A platform for budding Filipino creative talent

Jaime Tasarra

ILLUSTRADO SCRAPBOOK 43

Jaime Tasarra is a Dubai based Architect and photography enthusiast, as well as a 3D visualization expert. A graduate of the Far Eastern University in Manila, James currently works as a Design Architect.

He started photography four years ago and won 3rd place in the “Burj Khalifa Photo Competition.�

Apart from his penchant with architecture, James also loves portraiture; one of his photographic styles is to capture natural beauty with the minimum of post processing.

44 ADVERTORIAL

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Recreate yourself with this season’s Autumn/Winter Collection at Splash! As we further express our individuality through fashion and indulge in its guilty pleasures, it’s all about making statements which vary from heritage to a fresh view on minimalism, and from retroinspired to luxe grunge.

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46 FASHION

Anthony Tentativa: Living his Parisian Dream

By Lalaine Chu-Benitez

Anthony Tentativa

He’s worked as a part time designer for Bobby Novenario in the 90s, had a designer stint in a haute couture atelier in Bahrain and then moved to Paris to join his aunt. There, he worked as a bank clerk with PNB for eight years, while doing menial jobs on the side, just to be able to survive.

But despite his humble beginnings and the hardships and struggles he has experienced in life, Anthony Tentativa has always kept his dream of becoming a full-pledged fashion designer in the world’s fashion capital, alive.

Now that dream is a reality for the designer who won the fourth edition of Talents de Mode, the springboard for emerging designers in France, as he sits at the helm of a flourishing high end prêta-porter brand – Les Tentativas, positioned against global brands like Chloe, Paul & Joe, Vanessa Bruno and Isabel Marant.

Coming from a poor family in Samar, Anthony Tentativa says that fashion is his world and that his dream was always to go abroad - his eye set on making it in Paris someday. The graduate of the University of San Carlos in Cebu said that he faced a lot of struggles before he was able to enter into fashion in France.

With a background in designing from the Philippines and in Bahrain, Anthony joined his aunt in 1993 in the Paris with the hopes of further learning fashion. However, he took a clerical job at the PNB instead, and did domestic work part time to support himself. “In France it is not easy to find a job, and because of the high standard of living, sometimes Filipinos have no choice but to accept domestic jobs regardless of what kind of profession we had in the Philippines.

Our professional experience back home is not valid at all here,” he says of his start in the country.

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He also shares, “Hindi ko naman ikinahihiya ang trabaho dito proud pa nga ako dahil malinis ang pinangagalingan ng pera kahit ganun lang ang trabaho.”

Despite his financial limitations, Anthony, together with his wife, Sharon La Madrid Benson, whom he met while working at the PNB, were dead set about getting into designing. They saved money and invested whatever they earned to get them into fashion school – a very difficult undertaking, especially considering that the couple already had two kids at the time. “It was really hard for both of us because we were working while studying. Talagang malaking sakripisyo ang dinaanan naming dalawa. But thanks to God, di niya kami pinabayaan,” Anthony shares about their journey.

The two eventually earned their education from nothing less than the top fashion schools in Paris. Both of them graduated from ESMOD.

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Anthony continued his studies at the prestigious Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, the school of the Fédération Française de la Couture, du Prêt-à-porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de mode (French Federation of Fashion and of Ready-to-Wear of Couturiers and Fashion Designers) which counts global fashion greats such as Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Issey Miyake and Andre Courreges as their most popular alumni. There, he was one of the few students selected for the year-end show which took place at the Carrousel du Louvre Paris in June 2005.

Right after earning their diplomas, the two set about gaining professional experience and worked as trainees in different enterprises, including Erin Fetherston and Daniel Faret. To complement their craft, the two also took up business studies – Sharon studied business and marketing while Anthony did fashion management. Then, Anthony was chosen among many other young designers to present his work at the Designers and Fashion area of Texworld Trade Fair in September 2008.

All this meticulous preparation culminated when the couple launched their very own fashion brand, Les Tentativas, in April 2009 with the help of French investors. Anthony who assumed the role of company president is in-charge of design, while his wife Sharon, the director, oversees marketing and production. Anthony shares, “Thanks God, we found some good people who really believed in our project. With the help of our investors we were able to create a create prêt à porter brand in France.”

Les Tentativas is a ready to wear clothing line pegged for the high-end or haut de gamme market. Anthony shares that the brand is meant to

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be a reinterpretation of the chic and elegant Parisian woman whose style is feminine, fresh, original and refined, and who appreciates fine fabrics like cashmere, virgin wools, fine cottons and silks. The designer says of the line’s distinctively retro vibe, “I like to play with the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s and I love retro-modern; I will always put a vintage touch to the design at all times.”

As a young designer label, Les Tentativas has gained some attention and support from the media and has been featured in French magazines such as Grazia, Public Look, Questions des Femmes, and Infrarouge, as well as Olga & Oliver, an Italian magazine.

To celebrate its first year in 2010, Les Tentativas opened its first retail outlet in the designer’s area of Forum des Halles in Paris. Their biggest coup so far was to win the fourth edition of the Talents de Mode last year where they won EUR22,000 (US$30,000), a free workshop for a year at the Village de Createurs at Passage Thiaffait in Lyon – which hosts emerging young brands; economic development support, as well as a stand at the Prêt-à-Porter Paris Trade Fair 2011.

Now with a steady clientele and about to embark on their fifth fashion season, Anthony credits patience and bravery for what he and his wife achieved so far. He says, “We waited for just the right time to establish our label.” He shares, “We all should just be brave, motivated and be patient all times; that’s the key and the way to succeed in life.”

The designer hopes to bring Les Tentativas eventually to other parts of the world. Still, he holds another dream that is closest to his heart, “I’m still proud to be Pinoy and my other dream is to have my own boutique in the Philippines someday. Pinoy pa rin ako kahit saan man ako naroroon, at kahit ano pa man ang marating ko sa buhay.”

Judging by his resolute climb to pursue his aspirations, without a doubt, Anthony Tentativa will turn all his dreams into reality.

Les Tentativas- Anthony (2nd from right) and Sharon (2nd from left)

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52 ADVERTORIAL

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Many women and men go through life never realizing their best potential; never realizing how great they can be; never achieving the goals that are always just beyond their fingertips. For so many, what holds them back is how others perceive them. And for others, they are held back by their own lack of confidence in how they look and how they present themselves.

Global Image Institute, Image and Style Consultant Agnes AquinoBriggs has been extensively trained by Sterling Style Academy, an internationally recognized institute that prepares men and women for success in the image, fashion and style industries.

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JOEY BALUYOT Al Manaraya Fashion

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54 FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY – EROS GOZE POST PROCESSING – TOM BOLIVAR STYLING – GINNO ALDUCENTE AND DAZE TAN HAIR AND MAKE-UP: GINNO ALDUCENTE MODEL: NINA NAVAL-NIEMCZYK FASHION: BANDOIX FLORES OF W HAUTE COUTURE SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE MÖVENPICK IBN BATTUTA GATE HOTEL - DUBAI

When Middle Eastern mystique, contemporary lines and rich details collide – prepare to be spellbound.

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Bejeweled stretch tube top with semi-transparent chiffon skirt topped with a single-sleeved abaya; ostrich feather head band as accessory

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Mid-cut satin dress with jeweled collar, front bow and inner long sleeves in delicate lace; lace-up brocade heeled platforms from Janilyn shoes.

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58 FASHION Long sleeved dress in jersey with detachable sequined collar and belt buckle embellished with crystals

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Deep V-neck blouse in chiffon with crystal beadwork and chiffon pants topped with a chiffon abaya

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Satin tube dress accented with embroidered tulle and ribbon with bejewelled buckle

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Bejeweled stretch tube top with semi-transparent chiffon skirt

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66 FASHION Embroidered and crystallized illusion tulle top and satin skirt with faux fur stole

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FASHION 69 Black satin top with exaggeratedly long back, matched with tulle skirt, accessorized by a jeweled collar and headpiece.

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70 ADVERTORIAL

An Iconic night at Dubai Desert Fish On the 2nd November, ICONIC unveiled their winter 2011 collection during a show stopping party for Dubai’s fashion elite and socialites. The Desert Fish Studios in Al Quoz were transformed for a night of partying and fashion as photo shoots took place simultaneously during the party, and models joined the guests whilst showcasing outfits from the collection. The whole night was centered around the theme “I am Iconic” and party goers were asked to draw inspiration for their outfits from the brand’s campaign.

It was a hugely successful evening, yet again establishing Iconic as a fashionable, trendy design house which has definitely made its mark in the Dubai style scene.

Giordano Middle East Opens 200th Store company is also expanding rapidly across Saudi Arabia, with 12 new outlets opened in the Kingdom in the year to date, and two more set to launch before year end. Complementing the retailer’s expansion plan is a large scale refurbishment programme across existing outlets in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with investments in new stores and renovations reaching over AED25 million in 2011.

Giordano, the leading apparel retailer, has officially opened its 200th Middle East store at Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi. The company, which has been operating in the Middle East for 18 years, is now on track to open 250 stores by 2015.

During 2011, 14 new Giordano stores opened across the region. The

In the year to date, Giordano has posted double-digit year-on-year growth as a result of a streamlining of regional operations, and the rollout of high-demand product lines leading to low inventories and strengthened cash flow. “Giordano’s strategy of ‘less is more’ means we focus on the essentials – which provide the right product mix and choices for our customers. We have made it through 18 years here in the Region and we look forward to many more years to come. Our customers are assured of a collection that is essential, relevant and of superior workmanship,” said Ishwar Chugani, Executive Director at Giordano Middle East.

Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel: Culture and luxury for business and leisure Hotel, you are greeted with the impeccable hospitality for which the Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts group is known. The stunning central courtyard – known as Al Bahou, or Grand Hall, is a signature feature of the hotel, reflecting the hotel’s culturally-inspired interiors, fivestar luxury and Moroccan-influenced architecture.

Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel draws inspiration from its namesake, the intrepid 14th Century Arabian adventurer, Ibn Battuta, who travelled the world, from Africa and Europe to the Far East. Mirroring his journey, the 396 spacious hotel rooms are each beautifully furnished in the colors and styles of Morocco, while all of the Battuta suites are themed on the Africa, Asian, Middle Eastern and southern European countries visited by the renowned explorer.

This Mövenpick hotel in Dubai provides a complete hospitality experience, from five-star accommodation to fine dining and corporate events; where cultural ambience meets modern luxury.

Stepping through the iconic portal of Mövenpick Ibn Battuta Gate

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The facilities provided by the hotel include eight restaurants including Chinese, Italian and Indian, rooftop swimming pool, Safar Spa and Yanni beauty salon. Other services include complimentary shuttle service to Oceana Beach Club on the Palm Jumeirah, complimentary access to the kids club, and access to Diablo night spot (door policy applies).

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Furne One Delivers “SHOCK & AWE” Photos: Official Dubai Fashion Week

at DFW SS2012

Dubai’s cosmopolitan fashion fans have been shell-shocked on the finale night by what was rightly the most anticipated show of Dubai Fashion Week Spring Summer 2012. With a collection to say the least, was astounding, and a heart stopping other worldly show held at The Arena of the Dubai World Trade Center on the 24th of October, Filipino designer “The One and Only”’ Furne One proved once again why he is a definitive powerhouse right on top of the region’s fashion echelon.

DFW was on standstill as the show opened with an eye-popping sci-fi industrial video with disturbing details that call to mind Aeon Flux-meets-Matrix-meets-Amato, complete with adrenalin pumping music punctuated with the constant screaming of “It’s alive! It’s alive! It’s alive!”

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That certainly set the tone for the ensuing parade of otherworldly gowns accessorized with an amalgamation of industrial materials combined with whimsical, but nonetheless, wicked details such as light bulbs, water hose, strainers, even an egg beater, topped with LED lights.

Dresses which came in a soft palette of light greens, pinks, powder blue, ivory and white, sported hyper extended molded shoulders and a distinctly body skimming silhouette that is at once sexy and strong. Some of the pieces sported exaggeratedly high collars and asymmetrical coats made voluminous with plastic frames.

An interesting feature in some of the ensembles is what appeared to be a reinterpretation of the “niqab” – a traditional cloth that is used by Muslim women to cover their face.

Furne’s fascination for ‘barely-there’ transparent fabric continues from last season, with wispy layers of tulle, some of which had a plastic-like sheen, delicately embellished with tone-on-tone

beading, embroideries and appliqués with elements such as butterflies, dragonflies, rosettes, etc. Closer inspection of the pieces will add to one’s marvel.

What separates Furne One from other designers, who are merely pre-occupied with doing pieces that are over-the-top, is that his creations, stripped to their most basic form sans all the drama, are actually beautifully wearable pieces of true haute couture.

Every time the designer unveils his collections, he not only demonstrates his ability to extend his imagination like no other, but also his distinctive and consistent discipline when it comes to design.

It’s all or nothing. Furne commits all the way – and that is evident in his work.

Unarguably Furne One’s show is the veritable coup of DFW SS2012 on all accounts.

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Michael with Supermodel Coco Rocha who presented the award

With TV Personality and Style expert Robert Verdi and companion

Michael Cinco Bags WGSN Breakthrough Designer of 2011 Award

Fresh from his Manila Red Cross Gala 2011 stint on the 16th October, Dubai- based designer Michael Cinco flew over to the Big Apple to receive what is, perhaps, the top highlight of his career to date – the WGSN Global Fashion “Breakthrough Designer” of 2011 Award.

The WGSN Global Fashion Awards honors fashion’s most innovative and inspirational businesses and individuals. These are the awards international brands, retailers and manufacturers want to win, as judged by the industry elite.

With over 500 C-Suite fashion luminaries in attendance – from FTSE 500 listed companies to Interbrand’s Best Global Luxury Brands - the WGSN Global Fashion Awards 2011 was a unique celebration of global excellence in retail and fashion.

On the 20th October 2011 the second WGSN Global Fashion Awards took place at New York’s prestigious Gotham Hall. Attended by the world’s leading retailers, most talented designers and fashion industry greats, the ceremony was a stunning black tie, red carpet event, including a champagne reception and gala dinner.

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This year’s panel of judges included fashion, retail and media luminaries such as - June Haynes (Senior Vice President of Retail, Valentino USA), Malan Breton (Media Personality and Founder & Designer, Malan Breton), Simon Kneen (Creative Director and Executive Vice President of Design, Banana Republic) and Chee Au (Chief Creative Officer, Shanghai Tang), among others.

Michael Cinco won the much coveted title of “Breakthrough Designer” for 2011, besting nominees from different countries including, US-based Alejandro Ingelmo, Dannijo and Timo Weiland; UK-based Eudon Choi, Kirsty Ward, Una Burke, Masha Ma and Michael van der Ham; Shanghai-based Qiu Hao, and We Are Handsome from Australia.

Michael shares of his win - “The WGSN Breakthrough Designer Award was a breeze until it finally sunk in… it was, after all, akin to breaking barriers and emerging totally unscathed and beautifully on top of the heap. It’s like shattering myths and making it real that a boy from the rustic province of Samar has made it globally and how… though not without putting up a good fight.” He furthers, “But most of all, the award is a celebration of my true impalpable dream.”

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Michael Cinco

Red Cross Gala 2011 16th October 2011

Philippine Fashion Week Spring Summer 2012 29th October 2011

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Albert Andrada

Grand Allure Philippine Fashion Week Spring Summer 2012 30th October 2011 Photos by Enrico Dc

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Ezra Santos

Slims at 50 Philippine Fashion Week Spring Summer 2012 29th October 2011 Photos by Enrico Dc

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80 PINOY TALENT-ON THE-JOB

It’s What I Do

PINOY TALENT

ON-THE- JOB

My other duties include building a healthy corporate culture - a great place to work that can attract and retain the very best, as well as to facilitate team-building ensuring that my team works together in a common direction. Every activity in my job is challenging.

I rose up from a Junior Chemist to CEO in the same line of business in a span of 19 years. My achievements were all appreciated and eventually, this inspired me more to give my best. With my success, I have made my country proud of me and my failures helped me to conquer the fear of being a loser. As I’ve learned in the past, my failures guided me in continuing my journey. They were not easy to accept but the pain made me a better and stronger person.

A typical working day for me

May Jane Alvero Al Mahdi CEO Geoscience Testing Laboratory, UAE My Job As the CEO of Geoscience Testing Laboratory, I am responsible for the success or failure of the company. Operations, marketing, strategy, financing, creation of company culture, human resources, hiring, firing, compliance with safety regulations, sales, PR, etc. — it all falls on my shoulders.

My contribution as a CEO is in building a superb business with the money raised. Setting strategy and vision is my main duty. The senior management team helps me develop strategy. I ultimately set the direction - which markets the company will enter, against which competitors, update of technology, training and innovation.

Making the organization different from its competitor is one of the big challenges I am facing. Decision making, setting budgets, and building a team to steer the company accordingly, are all important functions and responsibilities I exercise.

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I start early. I wake up at 4:30 am to take bath. Then I pray, spend an hour on emails, read the news online, exercise, have breakfast with my family and then get my children ready for school and drop them off. I do all that and still get to work by 8am to 8:30am.

At the office, I hold a meeting with my key staff to discuss major issues and make assignments accordingly. Here, my executive assistant would detail my agenda for the day including any meetings or upcoming travel. I then spend part of the morning on emails and phone calls that must be returned. With the help of my assistant, I sift through all of the correspondences and reply to those items I consider most pressing.

Technology has helped me stay connected no matter where I am in the world. Even when I am not in the country, I still answer emails and return phone calls.

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At lunchtime, some important meetings will likely take place. I meet with potential clients and other important people. My job will include being able to make people feel comfortable as much as anything else.

After work, I pick up my kids from school; check the homework of my son, look after my baby, plan for the dinner and bond with my husband by watching TV – our way of relaxation. In the weekends, I go to the spa, visit relatives and friends, shop and watch a movie with my husband on Friday night. I also do charity and organizational work for the community.

Career Advice Let us give praises and glory to God above all. We Filipinos should be proud of our roots. Let us show the world our professional excellence. Never stop educating ourselves, continue learning, share what we can, be humble and not to forget the good values that our parents have instilled in us.

India for a recruitment campaign and trained new recruits to a high standard, sharing my 15 years or so experience in the security field.

As an Operations Manager, I am expected to do site visit at various locations, hold daily briefings for the staff, as well as have weekly meetings with the client. When I’m not in operations, I address administration issues at the office. So many issues may arise; anything from staff welfare or staff discipline is always on the agenda. Then of course, we’re always on the lookout for new businesses, promoting and selling Transguard as a company.

Side story Last year, I had the opportunity to participate in White Collar Boxing, an event organized by Transguard where executives turn fighters in the ring. It’s an experience that will always stay with me. Never won the fight, but once you’re in that ring and you’ve experienced the whole thing then you have nothing but admirations for the pros that do it for a living! The eight week training was gruelling but well worth it in the end. I’ve never been so fit in my whole life! The best way to describe how you feel afterwards, well…it’s like being in a car crash, your whole body is aching!!! But, I would definitely recommend it to anybody.

A typical working day for me First thing in the morning, I’m usually at one of the sites holding a morning briefing before the start of the shift of my staff - addressing any issues they may have in regards to security matters, or their own personal issues. Then, I have a walk-through with the senior supervisor or supervisor of the site. After that, I meet with the client and make sure that their happy with the service we are providing. At times, we also do sites audits - checking that the high standard is kept by our onsite staff. If time permits, I would head back to the office, to deal with administration issues, if any.

Career Advice

Mark Alvaro

Operations Manager - Retail Sector Transguard Group

My Job I’m currently working as an Operations Manager (Retail Sector) for the Transguard Group. I am managing and overseeing over 300 security personnel at various high profile locations, so there’s never a dull moment! So far in my two years in this role, I’ve travelled to

In general we’re a very proud nation, but I feel at times that we’re too polite and nice in the working environment. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, but we should be more assertive and confident in our own abilities because we are a nation filled with enormous potential and talent – we are at a par, if not better in some things compared to others.

82 PINOY ENTREPRENEUR

PINOY

ENTREPRENEUR Each month a local Filipino entrepreneur shares with Illustrado their business start-up experiences.

Ralph Ramirez Lafana Fashion Sharjah, UAE I was working as a fashion designer in this company when the owner decided to return to her homeland. After much thought, I decided to seize the opportunity that presented itself and bought the business with my own hard-earned savings. It was a risk, but I would like to think it was a calculated one. I was confident that with my background in pattern-making and cutting skills, I was capable of running the business myself.

That was the start of Lafana Fashion located along the main Al-Wahda Road. We specialize in made-to-order tailoring and embroidery of evening/party dresses and wedding gowns for local Emarati women.

Running this kind of business is a never-ending, sometimes a nervewracking cycle of meeting deadlines — starting with finishing ordered dresses on time, all the way down to the payment of utilities, rent of premises, accommodations and of course the worker’s salaries!

I even personally manage the processing of company documents at the municipality, immigration and labor departments. It’s a oneman-show, you can say, but at the end of the day, I treasure all the challenges that come my way and each and every lesson I have learned.

Being on your own doesn’t necessarily mean lots of free time. In fact, I absorbed more responsibilities after acquiring the business. I immersed myself in my work and sacrificed a lot of time with my friends and family.

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My start -up capital was AED120,000, which I used to buy the company with. The daily running costs are taken from the 30% down payment I charge my costumers for every dress they order. The rest I need to earn through hard work and just sheer determination.

“Slowly, steadily, surely” is a guiding motto of mine for it is not a joke when it’s your own money that’s at stake! I have never applied for personal nor company bank loans and own only one credit card which I only use for travel bookings. My mom used to say, “save for the things you need and never borrow money.”

Now, six years and running, our small operation has grown to a family of nine, including myself. With the development of a capsule collection based on the Illustrado Magazine’s Avant-garde project, slated for Philippine Fashion Week 2012 and hopefully, Dubai Fashion Week in the near future, I believe I’m on the right track!

I encourage all Filipinos in the UAE to go ahead and venture out on their own. Live your dreams and aspirations and start a business here. But make sure to have provisions, most especially if you have children, just in case the business doesn’t work out. It is hard, very hard, and very daunting too, but if you know in your gut that it is your line of work and expertise — like this is what you were born to do - go for it! The risks are high, but the rewards are limitless.

Material success is just scratching the surface. I find true happiness in the relationships we form and the lives we touch along the way.

84 PINOY PRO Celebrating the Professional Pinoy

Catherine P. Ordoñez

HR Manager - Transgulf Readymix Concrete Co LLC Polytechnic University of the Philippines Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology

Sheryll Bacay

HR Business Support Specialist - Lloyd’s Register EMEA Philippine Normal University AB/BSE English

Catherine was working as a recruitment specialist in an outsourcing and consultancy company in Makati before moving to the Gulf.

Now, she continues to expand her expertise and knowledge in Human Resources as the HR Manager of Transgulf Readymix Concrete Co. LLC.

When Sheryll Bacay moved to Dubai in 2002, she probably didn’t realize that she would “grow geographically” both in terms of residence and scope of work. She first started as a secretary cum office administrator with Lloyd’s Register EMEA and was eventually promoted to Human Resource Business Support Specialist.

“I manage the Human Resources Department, ensuring that the department objectives are in line with the company objectives. I direct and monitor all HR functions. One of the most fulfilling things about my career is being able to impart knowledge and talents to others, in my team and in my community. Fulfillment for me is when I can take part of someone’s success.”

“The Lloyd’s Register Group is a global independent risk management and safety assurance organisation with offices in 246 locations covering 186 countries. The key areas of business are marine, transportation/ rail, energy/oil and gas. In my position, I oversee HR Operational and Strategic activities covering areas that include Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa & Kazakhstan,” said Bacay.

Catherine’s love for her job is evident in both her drive and the recognition she has received in the company.

Bacay’s daily tasks involve employee relations, salary and benefits design, overseeing employee transfers, among others. Admitting that HR was a career that she fell into, Bacay turned the chance into an opportunity and enriching career.

“Having one of the highest position in the organization at the age of 24, proactively leading hundreds of people is one of my greatest achievements” says Catherine. And it looks like that’s just the beginning. Currently, she is studying in Cambridge College International-Dubai, working on a diploma in Human Resources Management.

Josefino Tiberio

Area Manager (GSA) Philippine Airlines – Dubai & Northern Emirates College Polytechnic University of the Philippines Bachelor of Arts Tourism To say that travel is in Josefino Tiberio’s blood may be a bit of an understatement. From his days as a working student till today, TIberio has always worked in a travel/tourism-related field.

Currently, Tiberio works as Area Manager (GSA) Philippine Airlines; his focus is to grow and develop the company’s business within Dnata GSA territory – i.e. Dubai and Northern Emirates.

The responsibilities of the job are wide in scope, covering business analysis and developments, commercial, yield and revenue, sales and marketing, and distribution. It may be fast-paced and stressful, but Tiberio says it is not without its rewards.

Bacay is also one of the founding members of the FIL-HR and is now this year’s president. With this, Bacay is again able to do what she loves most, share her free time with fellow Filipino HR Professionals doing trainings, workshops, and social and community services.

Clark Dunlao

Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Consultant - Tebodin Middle East University of the Philippines – Los Baños BS Chemical Engineering; Master in Chemistry When Clark Dunlao says he cares for the environment, he means it.

As a Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Consultant for Tebodin Middle East, he is tasked with evaluating the potential impacts of a proposed facility to the environment. “I make this assessment by performing soil and groundwater, noise level and air quality monitoring tests. I also perform environmental monitoring for construction sites and as well as Environmental and Safety audit for industrial and oil and gas facilities,” explained Dunlao.

Reflectively, Tiberio explained, “I have had the chance to assist the repatriation of the Filipino expatriates during the outbreak of war in Lebanon, Iraq and Libya. I have also assisted the Philippine Consulate and the POLO/OWWA office with their travel requirements during the UAE and KSA amnesty program.”

“It may sound cliché, but doing the work I do now, allows me to somehow take an active part in protecting the environment. I am still learning all the aspects of the business. There’s still more to learn. Hopefully, I will become an expert in soil and groundwater remediation,” said Dunlao. The desire to learn more is also his main motivation for getting higher education in his field. Currently, Dunlao is taking his masteral course online from the UP Open University on Masters in Environment and Natural Resource Management.

Apart from the necessary skills of organization and work ethic, Tiberio counts something else as vital in his line of work: networking.

“A healthy relationship with colleagues, clients and members of the community is important to be effective and gain people’s trust and confidence. Everything else follows from that.”

“I don’t have much free time because of this, but between semesters, I try to go out with friends or read a novel, watch TV series on-line and swim.” Dunlao also tries to immerse himself as much as he can in the multi-cultural environment of Dubai, which is he describes as “quite an interesting mix of races and people”.

His job allows him to travel from anywhere in the Middle East to as far as Australia and this has made him appreciate the beauty of his own country even more.

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86 KABUHAYAN MONEY

Quiddity

Arts & Travel

By Bernadette Reyes

In the Philippines where a notebook in Divisoria would cost only PHP10, sisters Stephanie and Genevieve Go have taken the high road in quite a literal fashion by producing Quiddity notebooks that sell for PHP250 each — which the market seem to be quite taken by. Bernadette Reyes uncovers the secrets of their success, page by page.

“We were sold out,” said Genevieve about their sales in one of the biggest and most popular Christmas bazaars in the Philippines. At PHP180 to PHP250 a piece, Quiddity notebooks certainly are on the pricey side, but the team of sisters behind it make sure you get what you pay for. “It’s a little expensive, but for our market and the reception we have been getting from them, we can tell that the people see the value in it.”

What’s in a notebook?

Now a full-fledged business, Quiddity Arts and Travel started out as a hobby during the sisters’ grade school days. “Friends ask me to make notebooks for them but at that time, I didn’t know I would be making a lot [of notebooks],” said Genevieve.

Scrap from paper cuttings, loose buttons and toy parts were some of the materials used in earlier designs. Today the sisters bring back fabrics, trims and gems from their travel to use as embellishments.

Genevieve also hand paints notebooks covers. “No two notebooks are the same. They really look wild,” she said of the brand’s unique quality which is probably why customers just keep buying more and more Quiddity notebooks.

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Taking notes: trial and error learning Without any formal training in notebook-making, the sisters had to go through a trial-and-error process until they are able to achieve a style, design and level of craftsmanship that they were happy with. “It went through a lot of phases. We would use either a glue gun or sew the pages together to bind them. Everything was experimental, but each notebook painstakingly made,” said Stephanie. “If something [a method] didn’t work out, we look for other ways to do it. We research online about techniques and we try to incorporate them in our production process,” her sister said.

Today the business is moving towards more efficient operations management by hiring a contractor to do the cutting and binding of notebook pages while applying the strictest quality standards.

Meanwhile the sisters focus on keeping their designs up-to-date and developing new application techniques.

Since their price point is high, they make sure customers get quality in a guaranteed one-of-a-kind Quiddity notebook. “A customer once had problems with the binding, so we picked it up and replaced it, free of charge to show them that we are serious about doing business.

Our service does not stop with a successful sale,” said Stephanie.

KABUHAHAN MONEY 87

Notable fulltime employees, noteworthy part-time entrepreneurs Genevieve and Stephanie are not just creative geniuses at work, but also corporate multi-taskers who juggle their fulltime careers with running the business. Genevieve is a visual merchandising specialist for a top retail brand, while Stephanie works as a relationship manager for an international bank. “We have to keep our day jobs because they also help to keep us funded,” they said.

Plus, their jobs afford them a network of contacts which are useful to the Quiddity business. “We didn’t know who to approach before.

Our regular jobs have gotten us a lot of connections, like contacts for our suppliers,” Genevieve explained.

They duo share tasks in running the business - Genevieve who is also a freelance illustrator takes care of designs while Stephanie, who is a photography enthusiast, takes product photos that are uploaded for “display” in their online shop.

The high and low notes: you sell some, you lose some Bazaars and online shop are the primary distribution channels of Quiddity Arts & Travel. From an inventory of 200 notebooks and a few other items, they are increasing their inventory level to 4,000 notebooks. They are working double time to ensure their stocks are ready come bazaar season. The rest of the products will be sold online. Genevieve recognized the importance of keeping a significant inventory level to keep the business rolling and customers happy.

“We would have had interested buyers, but there were no products available,” she said.

Not all products will be as successful as others. Quiddity Arts & Travel used to carry mask-making kits but this product line didn’t sell. “You learn to let go of products that don’t sell. But you have to have alternative plans. For example, the items we weren’t able to sell, we used to produce other items,” explained Genevieve. Next bazaar season they will be launching new products such as hand-painted suitcases and wallets which they hope would be as sellable as their notebooks.

Genevieve and Stephanie have already earmarked PHP100,000 to keep the business rolling and they plan to invest more as the business grows. “We feel strongly that it [money] will come back. A lot is also going into product development. We can make a few [new products] and see it if it sells then decide if we will produce more,” said Stephanie.

Bigger dreams, noted and foreseen Stephanie is only 27 while her sister Genevieve is only 22. Youth, the siblings said, can be a disadvantage because of the inexperience that goes with it. “Suppliers have a tendency not to listen to you [if you are young]. They would rather trust their own instincts and experience,” said Genevieve.

The attitude of these siblings however reflects determination and perseverance and they exude confidence, often lacking in young entrepreneurs. “We know what to look for in terms of quality and we want only the best, said Genevieve. “We may not be seen as industry experts [yet]” said Stephanie, “but the suppliers we are working with right now respect and understand us,” she finished.

Stephanie and Genevieve dream — almost half jokingly — that they want to have their own “empire” and become business tycoons someday. “Hopefully it will still happen in this lifetime,” they teased.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be that big. But we slowly try to build towards it,” said Genevieve.

For now, these sisters are happy their dreams have finally come to fruition. “Sometimes you are afraid that your idea might not work so you don’t try at all,” said Genevieve. “When we started it, we just liked that we are finally doing it. Now it’s just growing and we want to see how it will end up. We hope this can be something that we can also end up doing for a living,” said Stephanie.

With Quiddity notebooks selling like hotcakes, having their empire and being business tycoons may not be a far off dream for these two sisters who weren’t afraid to turn the pages of a business idea into a flourishing brand.

88 BAYANIHAN CORNER

Bayanihan

at work

By Ambassador Grace Relucio-Princesa

On the same month last year, I wrote about the Bayanihan Council that I have initiated with the Filipino Community organizations in Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain and inshaALLAH, soon, with the Al-Ruwais OFs. It’s wonderful to know that after more than a year after its organization, the umbrella group continues to flourish and expand. It just shows that the spirit of volunteerism in the heart of every Filipino abroad is alive and well.

One of the umbrella group’s first successful events was the Kalayaan 2010. In partnership with the Philippine Embassy, the Bayanihan Council held its first ever Kalayaan Bazaar at the Maharlika House (the Ambassador’s Residence) to showcase Philippine products. This was the beginning of the umbrella group’s support for the enhanced financial and entrepreneurial projects that the Embassy has launched in conjunction with the Philippine Reintegration Program. These early “baby steps” were followed by the month–long Paskuhan activities that again featured a bazaar. The activity was meant to further demonstrate to kababayans the commitment of the Embassy in inculcating knowledge on how to maximize financial gains and minimize the costs, while being abroad and away from loved ones.

Early this year, through its enlightened leadership, the Bayanihan Council was finally able to send its representatives to the first Financial Literacy Training of Trainers in Dubai, as already mentioned in my article last month. The council has not stopped since then to reach out to more compatriots in order to share key financial knowledge which is important for all Filipinos to know and understand. This month, representatives of the Filcom Association of Dubai and the Northern Emirates will attend the same training on the 18th

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and 25th November 2011 at the Bayanihan Hall of the Philippine Embassy. Cooperation indeed! It augurs well for my prayers that we can all cooperate on concerns that are common to the Philippine migration phenomenon.

During the aftermath of the recent Pedring and Quiel typhoons in the Philippines, the Bayanihan Council was able to send a financial donation to affected families. Also, the group has been helping distressed OFs in their medical and transportation concerns.

Preparations for the Paskuhan 2011 led by the Bayanihan Council is well on its way to giving the needed warmth and color to add to our Christmas celebrations away from home.

More on this wonderful development in the community next time.

In the meantime, it is good to remember that the bayanihan spirit is not dead but very much alive in the Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates.

Mabuhay po tayong lahat at laging taas noo kahit kanino!

Month 5 90 TRIPPIN’

things To Do This

As the festive season creeps in, overseas Pinoys cannot help but feel the sudden rush of homesickness. To keep you from feeling sorry about not having plans of coming home for the holidays, Illustrado gives you something to take your mind off it this November. With two concerts to attend, a film festival to grace, malls to roam, rugby to get your adrenalin pumping and hammam to make you feel good, we believe that your month will be as busy and as merry.

So, read on, check out these must-try things, and get off your blues. Cheers to another sweet November!

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witness workshops headlined by resource speakers Boots AnsonRoa, Executive Director of the Movie Workers Welfare Fund (Mowelfund), and Soxie Topacio, renowned actor/director. The two-day cinematic affair will be held from November 25-26 in selected cinemas. If you need more information then do drop a line to marketingservices@ thekitschcompany.com.

Watch award-winning Filipino films

Want to know the easiest way to lessen your homesickness? Well, we do have the perfect cure for you. Head on to the upcoming “Our Films, Our Culture” – the first ever Philippine Film Festival in the UAE is bringing Rosario, Ded na si Lolo, Botelya, and Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? to the screens of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Aside from the film showings, the event will also

Rock with Chris Brown and Michael Bolton

Whether you’re into ballad or pop, Dubai has the concert of choice for you. The slow rock repertoire of Grammy award winning Michael Bolton would surely entice his fans to groove it for a night. Known for his hits “How Am I Supposed to Live without You” and “Go the Distance”, the American singer is slated to take the center stage on the 24th of November at the Madinat Jumeirah. Call M Premiere at 04-4473863, and enjoy Michael Bolton’s music in this not-to-miss live entertainment event.

On one hand, MTV fanatics are surely dying to get seats to this must-attend concert of the season. Chris Brown is going to rock Dubai for the first time this coming December 9. Popular for his moves ala Michael Jackson and his controversial affair with fellow pop singer Rihanna, Chris Brown is also renowned for selling millions of records and gaining top ranks in Billboard. So, get ready to hear him sing “No Air”, “Umbrella” and “Say Goodbye” in his Chris Brown F.A.M.E. Tour at Dubai Festival City Concert Arena. To get tickets, call 321 Events at 04-4503505.

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92 TRIPPIN’

Discover Rugby Sevens

Ever wondered what rugby is all about? It’s high time to explore the most awaited sports extravaganza in Dubai. With year on year success, and a gathering of thousands of local and international enthusiasts, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens is back this 2011 to bring a mixture of sports and entertainment. The Dubai Sevens’ competitions featuring over 160 International Invitation, Gulf, Local Social, Ladies, Veterans, and Youth teams will see all six pitches in almost constant use over three exciting days from December 2-4. Happening in the purpose-built venue, The Sevens, on Al Ain Road, the event is expecting a jam-packed free standing stadium and a 5,000-seater grandstand. Perfect for sports fanatics – go ahead and check out the remaining tickets in Virgin Megastore.

4

Shop for your balikbayan boxes

Since we send balikbayan boxes filled with our Christmas gifts for our loved ones in the Philippines, we recommend that you start shopping this early. Not only that you need a month to send those care packages but you would also need time to scour for amazing items and sales promotions. Karama and Satwa would be great for shopping for small mementos and souvenir items. But if your festive gift ideas are grand and brand-oriented then we would recommend a trip down to Dubai-Al Ain Road where you’ll find heavily discounted items at the Dubai Outlet Mall. Or, you can also check the recently opened Global Village for some quirky items to send back home. Whatever your budget is and however small (big) your balikbayan box is, you always remember that in gift giving, it is the thought that counts.

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3 Scrub away your blues, bathe in a hammam

When your month gets so intense and your energies are drained, take some time off to indulge in a relaxing bath the Mediterranean way. Hammam (bathhouse) have Greek and Turkish roots, and were used for communal affairs in which bathers underwent steamy sessions of rigorous scrubbing and massaging while gossiping and socialising. Suitable for therapy and cleansing, the hammam comes in the form of Moroccan or Turkish bath where your skin gets total pampering with all the scrubbing and massaging.

Now being offered in several beauty centers in the emirates, you can even opt for discounted rates if you check the websites such as www.cobone.com and www.groupon.ae.

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94 GLOBAL BARRIO

My Pinoy Life in

Vienna, AUSTRIA Lucille Hyde

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GLOBAL BARRIO 95

Since when have you been staying there? Can you recount briefly why you moved there?

everyone is in solemn in prayer. One of the most famous cathedrals is St. Stephan’s Cathedral which is walking distance from my house.

Towards the end of 2010, the property business in the UAE continued to decline, and we decided to find more stable possibilities back home in the UK. Right about this time, we got a call from the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Vienna, Austria. They offered my husband a position in one of their departments overseeing property and facilities management.

Depending on interest, I believe, you can visit Vienna any time of the year. We arrived in winter and the place was still covered in snow. It was quite daunting to be in a non-English speaking country, but somehow, we got by. I have started to pick up many words in German. I still don’t speak it, but my 7-year-old son is always ready to translate for me.

Tell us something about your place

What do you do for a living?

Vienna is very well known in the classical music world. The names Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Strauss, Brahms, Mahler and Schönberg are all synonymous to Vienna. The opera, the theatres, the palaces with baroque interiors, and the Belvedere Gardens which I have visited recently are really breathtaking.

I’m a stay at home mom, and with so much time on my hands, I decided to look for something I can do so I won’t be idle, both physically and mentally. I eventually decided to arrange English language course holidays in England, partnering with a friend in the UK. As the business grew, I added more and more languages. Now, we have what is called, “The Language Holidays.”

Oh, if you fly via Austrian Air to visit, you would hear the music “Blue Danube” in the background. The river Danube is a famous spot for locals and tourists alike, either to go on a cruise or just a spot to sunbathe and organize concerts and events on hot summer days.

They have all types of hotels here and what’s fascinating is most of them are refurbished buildings. The Austrians truly protect their history by preserving properties built centuries ago. There are a lot of interesting structures here. The Cathedrals are particularly aweinspiring, especially when you enter for the first time and experience the interiors and the gentle sound of the organ playing a hymn, while

Is there a Filipino community there?

Yes, quite a lot, surprisingly and they all speak German! There are a good number of Filipinos working at the UN. One time, there was an event organized by the Bicolano Community here. It was to celebrate the Fiesta for Our Lady of Penafrancia. We did a fluvial procession and the boat sailed from Vienna to Bratislava, which is in Slovakia. The whole atmosphere was very pleasant. As we started to move, we began to pray the Rosary and a novena. After which, the entertainment followed. While we were getting lunch, a Filipino

96 GLOBAL BARRIO

saxophonist played some music and we were serenaded by the familiar tunes of Bruno Mars! There was also a singer who reminded me of performers in Vegas, complete with “chuwa chuwa” back-up girls. Totally enjoyable! We got to Bratislava and attended mass in a very old cathedral on top of a little hill. It felt like I was going back in time when we entered. The interior and intricate architecture were breathtaking.

Tell us about your life there Very simple, really. Not a lot of people drive here because of the excellent public transport system. Plus, parking is so hard to find. You could be in the same bus or train with the kids of ambassadors and the homeless. But, people respect each other and I haven’t seen or experienced any kind of discrimination so far.

There are so many talented people in the tourist spots, painting art, singing opera or playing a musical instrument. All of them just getting on with life, and it doesn’t matter if they do it on the streets. We don’t need to spend much to experience culture. There is the marvelous, centuries old architecture, the Saturday market in Nachsmart, the parks, bikes for the public to use (free for the first hour), and long walks by the Danube.

What cultural practices/behaviors have you acquired from your host country?

Drinking beer and eating schnitzel!

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Other notes/remarks on the destination: Well, when visiting Europe, people must visit Austria. I will not elaborate on describing the place itself because what makes this place a must-see, is the experience they will have during their stay here.

What would be your greeting to other Filipinos around the globe?

Grüß Gott (pronouced gruss gott). It means “Greet God” literally. It’s the most common greeting here and everyone says that to everyone. Auf Wiedersehen!

98 TRIPPIN’

The Manor

at Camp John Hay: A Luxurious mountain retreat

Blessed with pine-covered mountains, a cool climate that averages a 19 degrees Celsius all year round and some of the most superb holiday destination north of Manila, Baguio City remains the country’s undisputed summer capital. With its dynamic art and culture scene being led by some of the country’s most prolific visual artists and the annual colorful celebration of flowers, the Panagbenga Festival, Baguio has become an even more exciting destination for the holidays.

By Vic Albornoz Lactaoen • Photography by Donelon Oco

A visit to the city, however, wouldn’t be quite complete without heading to The Manor at the well-loved Camp John Hay. The former American military reservation camp is still a favorite sanctuary of city-based vacationers who long for the scent of pine amid the cool mountain breeze. All the developments within Camp John Hay are in fact geared towards retaining the lushness of the surrounding pine groves.

At 5,000 feet above sea level, The Manor at Camp John Hay is a splendid presentation of Baguio’s natural beauty and bounty. Nestled within 246 hectares of Baguio’s most beautiful tract of prime land, the four-story structure was designed to blend seamlessly with towering

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pine trees while the majestic Cordillera mountain range provides a magnificent view. The Baguio stone exterior finish, shingle roofing and tinted glass windows lend the building a warm and friendly look.

The Manor is distinguished not just by its impressive architecture but by its cozy interior as well. Paneled walls and wooden furniture evoke a Filipino-colonial feel and emulate the atmosphere, the history and the fond memories of the real Baguio. Wooden shuttered doors open to outdoor patios with breathtaking views.

As popular is its reputation as the city’s prime food, leisure and pleasure destinations. Its dining outlets offer the best in “euromediterasian” as

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Billy King calls his cuisine, fine wines and topnotch entertainment with its dining facilities – thanks in no small measure to imaginative Chef Patron Billy King who manages Le Chef and the hotel’s other food and beverage facilities. Local and international dishes showcase the freshness of Baguio’s produce as well as newly caught marine delicacies from nearby Dagupan.

Imagine yourself sitting in front of a warm open fire with a glass of wine in hand, comfortably seated in the middle of a dap-ay as if you own the place. In Ifugao culture, the dap-ay is a stone line area for tribe gatherings, but here at Little Camp John Hay, a new part of The Manor’s garden where parties are held, it is transformed into a lounge nook in the midst of pine trees and blossoming hydrangeas. With the stars aglow, enjoy delicious canapés while you cozy up to the intimate ambience. You don’t have to worry about the cold weather as pillows and even blankets can be provided for you by the engaging hotel staff. Want something to go with your wine? Head to the long buffet table where you will find sumptuous dishes - from sushi to grilled ostrich, kebabs to prime steaks, this is the best place for buffet with a cool garden view. However, the best comfort food on a chilly night like this is a hot serving of potato and spinach gratin, a dish that’s creamy inside and crusty cheese on top. If you are lucky, the chef will even engage you with stories of his childhood, and how he is reminded of it whenever he spends time at Little Camp John Hay. Since my photographer and I were practically marooned at The Manor for almost a week, we were given sinful servings of cheese cakes, apple jalousie with whipped cream, crème brulee, chocolate

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mousse roll, ice profiteroles with chocolate sauce and a host of other sweet treats every time we dined at Le Chef. At nearby Le Chef Delicatessen, the comforting aroma of freshly baked breads and pastries laced the air. The tasty, delicate morsels have become much sought-after delicacies that guests from Manila bring with them as gifts for family and friends especially for the holidays.

In the evenings, the nippy weather is the perfect excuse to unwind in the comfort of The Piano Bar, a cozy sitting lounge beside a fireplace where one can enjoy fine piano music or a three piece band and a lady singer, while sipping your favorite cocktail to accompany light, savory hors d’ oeuvres. The well traveled pianist was regaling us with a wide repertoire of popular classics, jazz and local favorites, prompting most of us guests to linger longer than the usual.

During the daytime, guests at Camp John Hay can also go hiking in the eco-trail, while the more adventurous can pitch a tent in the campsite. And since Baguio is horseback riding country, there is Shulan Ti Kabadjo where one can experience a pony ride along a bridle path and riding circle. Those who are looking for pampering can go for a massage, laze in the Jacuzzi or sauna at the Palm Garden Health Spa. Guests can indulge in a wide range of treatments and therapies that are administered by highly trained professionals.

Today, Baguio City is a bustling metropolis of 350,000 people and Camp John Hay is a recreational destination for families and business.

“When Camp John Hay or CJH Development Corporation (as it is popularly known) began developing 246 of the 690 hectares under the Bases Conversion Development Act, their goal was to create a

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high quality tourism facility and an ecologically friendly residential community that blends with the environment,” according to Ramon C. Cabrera, General Manager of The Manor. “Having become guardians of a century –old forest containing 250,000 trees, “the forest was to remain king,” added Ramon. 195,000 seedlings have been planted within and outside the camp to ensure sustainable development for generations to come. There are efforts to limit the cutting of trees, but for any tree that is sacrificed, 100 are planted to replace it, sites Ramon. To make guests feel integrated into this environment, there is a self imposed building limit where no structure can be higher than four levels. Building materials were predominantly lumber, stone and logs.

While great care has been taken to nurture the land, CJH, also offers a wide assortment of activities. Other facilities at Camp John Hay include an 18-hole, par 69 golf course designed by the Golden Bear International of Jack Nicklaus; an 18-hole mini golf for children; picnic grounds where picnic tables set under the towering pine trees may be arranged for a perfect gathering with family and friends; an indoor recreation hall - The CAP John Hay Convention Center where the local advertising congress and other major conventions are regularly held. Or visitors can take a two-kilometer eco-trail which I experienced and this lead to scenic picnic areas and a lush botanical reserve nearby. Although it was raining the whole time in this trip I was in The Manor, I promise to visit in the future the art park used for poetry readings, sculptures and art exhibits. And if one morning I awake having dreamt of Camp John Hay’s historical past, I’ll bring my minus one and videoke equipment and perform at the Bell Amphitheatre to cap the historical significance of CJH.

102 ONLI IN DA PILIPINS

Onli In Da Pilipins - 1. n. a phrase used to define anything or anyone that only exists anywhere in the 7,107 islands of the Philippines || 2. adj. a phrase used to describe a Pinas episode or a Pinoy persona so rare one would never find anywhere else in the WWW (whole, wide world). It merits a documentation of some sort.

By Aby Yap

THE DARK ARTS Don’t summon Harry Potter and the gang yet. This isn’t meant to honor Lord… ooops… he-who must-not-be-named. (It starts with the letter V, followed by O, then L… No, it’s not Voltes V. Nagini, take over.)

Remember, it’s that time of the year — November, boo! — and we can’t help but go into the unknown: That which gives us the creeps, but thrills us to no end anyway! So, in the spirit of all things weird and/or wonderful (at least for some of us), we shall explore the Dark Arts: Pinoy edition.

Gaga over Gayuma This is definitely for the sawi sa pag-ibig, the one who always ends up playing he/she-loves-me-not. He’s been sending her flowers bouquets and Godiva chocolates, but she never even notices that he exists. She had been cooking his meals, doing his laundry, and feeding his dogs, but he left her anyway — and for someone who doesn’t even measure up to Pokwang’s talampakan!

The remedy for our love fools? Try love poison, er, potion for less than PHP100 in Quiapo or Baclaran. You might even have your fortune told for free. Tapat na po.

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For just PHP100, you’ll have your little bottle of gayuma, its water or oil mixed with all sorts of plants, roots, twigs, and/or branches whose names the vendor can’t even memorize. Don’t get too excited, though. Write down the incantation and instructions that go with it very carefully. You don’t want to jinx the process just because of a mispronounced word.

If you’re told to drop a bit of gayuma into the drink or food of your guinea pig, este, object of your desire, take it easy. A bit isn’t a bottle.

And do it discreetly. Being a suspected date rapist or poisoner won’t help your cause to win or bring back the love of your life. Common sense is a virtue as much as patience and persistence.

In case you don’t trust someone else’s love potion recipe, you can substitute it with something that’s truly yours and it won’t cost you a cent. Sweat. Yup, good old-fashioned pawis! No more incantation, but same procedure.

Yes, it’s yucky, so off we go to the next easy panggagayuma.

ONLI IN DA PILIPINS 103

Steal, or rather, get a piece of clothing that’s recently worn by the object of your obsession, oopps, affection (Uyyy, wishful thinking!).

Shirt, pants, blouse, skirt, dress, or even underwear — it all depends on your diskarte. Here’s the challenge: don’t wash it even if it smells like patis. Besides, you can use this to test how much you really love him/her.

If you find out that you can never live with someone who hasn’t heard of deodorants, good for you. You’re not too in love or obsessed to actually need the help of gayuma. Stop being emo.

But if you’re determined to have and to hold him/her with or without B.O. (ikaw na!), then put that piece of clothing under your pillow every night until he/she starts dreaming of you and finally becomes convinced that you’re soul mates.

Pray that it happens before the patis smell turns into bagoong.

Agog about Agimat So, you think only Patronus can protect you from evil? Or, the Invisibility Cloak alone can make you non-existent? Or, it’s just Sirius Black that can transform himself into an animal?

Hah! Long before Professor Dumbledore became the Hogwarts headmaster, our ancestors could already do magic and more. How many among our great-great-great-grandparents unwaveringly waited at midnight for the mutya falling from the heart of the banana tree so they could acquire their wishes, like healing prowess, freaking strength, sick-pack abs, sparkling Edward Cullen skin, etc?

Our brave heroes Emilio Aguinaldo, Andres Bonifacio, Antonio Luna, Macario Sakay, and most Katipuneros and Insurrectos were also believed to have had religious agimats to keep them safe from harm.

Former president Ferdinand Marcos, on the other hand, reportedly had a sliver of wood given by Iglesia Filipina Independiente Bishop Gregorio Aglipay embedded into his back to make him invisible.

And probably also invincible, which explains the 20-year rule. Oops.

Nardong Putik, an outlaw from Cavite whose life story was made into a film, could deflect bullets and knives as long as he ate a particular kind of mud. It doesn’t sound so Coco Martin yummy, huh?

Narda too, when swallowing her special bato with Ding’s special participation of course, becomes the super Darna who can topple giants, outwit aliens, and prevail over Valentina and her head of snakes any day.

Even we (yes, I mean you and me) as cute babies used to wear those garterized bracelets with alternating red and black beads to ward off engkantos, duwendes, kapres, and tikbalangs. Do you recall as well those tiny, red bags pinned to our shirts so no usog would befall on us? That was a far more sensible idea than having an elder spit on your forehead, tummy, and thighs, euwww.

Talk about Pinoys being fans of agimat! And we’re supposed to be muggles.

Going back to where everything can be found — not in SM but in Quiapo and Baclaran — all goods for different types of amulet hunters are sold here. Stones, gems, crystals, medallions, bullets, deer antlers, crocodile teeth, Latin prayers, and whatnot for exceptional health, prosperous business, gambling winnings, colorful love life, and whatever your heart desires.

Oh, should you have a chance to go there, don’t forget to get a Santo Niňong Hubad figurine to enhance your sex appeal (see for yourself where the rumored power comes from). You’ll never need a gayuma after. With this “blessing,” you might need another spell to ward off the guys and girls falling at your feet, waiting to do your bidding.

Now, ain’t that grand?