ILLUSTRADO Magazine Oct 2007

The Magazine for the International Filipino

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PINOY PURSUITS

HAPPY PEOPLE THE PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE UY KAMOTE, KUMUSTA? FASHION: THE GAMES (PINOY) PEOPLE PLAY REDEEM YOUR CULTURE TO SUCCESS PINOY PLANET: CHINA THE ANNIE B. CHRONICLES

15TH OCTOBER-15TH NOVEMBER 2007

life w

EDITOR’S NOTE

In Pursuit of hat are you running for in your life? What dreams are you chasing in the horizon? A better opportunity outside your home country? A career that will take you to high places? A business geared for exponential success? A life of comfort and leisure?

The hope of bringing up your kids to be exemplary adults? Or is it just, plain and simple, the ability to express yourself and find contentment in what you already have?

Dreams and ambitions are an important part of our personal foundation. It is what makes the difference between a life lived with passion, to a life ‘just’ lived.

Illustrado’s issue this month brings to you a whole gamut of Pinoy passions. In the quest for life and happiness, we talk about the Pinoy’s world-renowned ‘skill for cheer’ in ‘Happy People’ as well as equally jolly kabayan encounters in ‘Uy Kamote, Kumusta?’ and Annie B. Chronicles’ episode – ‘From Bali to Singapore’.

As we seek out our roots, we take you to nostalgic places like quaint Binondo and Bulacan, and delve, yet again, into our innate ‘Filipino-ness’ delighting in our very own snacks, sauces and silly quirks in ‘Onli in da Pilipins’ and ‘Filipinims’.

We look at Pinoy hobbies from childhood games to serious sports in ‘Larong Pinoy to the Max!’ and share with you notable Filipino moments in sports, while presenting this season’s exciting leisurewear in our smashing action-packed fashion feature ‘The Games (Pinoy) People Play’.

In pursuit of a better future, we share with you, as usual, a very substantial Kabuhayan section providing you information and tips on how you can improve your finances and opportunities. And in our entertainment column we feature two Pinoy-dominated homegrown bands that are pursuing their dream of spreading our innate music artistry in different parts of the globe.

LALAINE CHU-BENITEZ Publisher and Editor

So whatever you are pursuing in your life, whatever your dreams and your passions, remember that you are truly gifted with the Filipino’s rich heritage, limitless talent and, thankfully, the ability to smile and laugh. And wherever your dreams may take you, never forget that the journey is as important as the prize itself, and that gratitude and humility are part and parcel of success.

“Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.”

Taas Noo, Filipino!

CONTRIBUTORS

Zekundo Chu Eclectic and unexpected – that’s Illustrado’s contributing Dubai stylist Zekundo’s personal fashion ethos. Never to be swayed by the minimalist fashion movement, this edgy designer believes in the philosophy that “more is more”, hence his allegiance to the undying glamorously decadent fashion legacy of Gianni Versace. Zekundo, hones his designing talent as a Senior Visual Merchandiser for one of the most fabulous airport duty frees in the world, and also creates ambient media. Apart from his love for interior design, he also lives to collect accessories, while keeping abreast with what’s happening in the global fashion stage.

Adel Cruz Illustrado’s new contributor, Adel Cruz is a First Secretary and Consul at the Embassy of the Philippines in Abu Dhabi. A former Deputy Chief of Protocol at the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines, with a previous stint as Consul at the Phil. Consulate General in Chicago for six years, he brings to Illustrado a wealth of understanding on community issues in lieu of his extensive exposure to Pinoy expats from all walks of life. He joins us this month in the IFX files, to discuss a very relevant concern among Filipinos abroad. A doting father of three, Consul Cruz enjoys a great game of golf, whenever he has time to relax.

Laurence diche This month, mischievous Laurence ‘Law’ Diche takes us with him in his encounters with the Pinoys in the Lion City. An OFW kid in the ‘70s, Law took film studies at U.P.Diliman with the conviction that he would, one day, write the Philippine’s greatest screenplay ever.

That seems like centuries ago, and Law is still teetering his way to greatness. Meanwhile he’s picked up a ‘gig’ and currently works as Senior Copywriter for an ad agency based in Singapore, where he lives the colorful life of a Pinoy expat.

Aby Yap

‘Although her regular work hours are currently spent on editing automotiverelated copy for an Internet marketing company, the one thing that Aby Yap revels in the most is the often-unpaid job of storytelling. She loves weaving disturbing or funny (depends on how one looks at it) tales for kids, grownups, and those in between. Now back in Manila after a one-year ‘adventure’ in Dubai, she hopes to see and retell highlights of the ever-dynamic (in short, kakaloka) kulturang Pinoy through new eyes and a mightier pen in “Onli in the Pilipins”.

Ivan henares Resident ‘man with itchy feet’ Ivan is well on his way to exploring the country’s 7,107 islands and more. His candid and well-written travel journals in his award-winning blog Ivan About Town give his readers a glimpse of Philippine culture. But far from exemplifying the jet setting lifestyle of the rich and famous, Ivan is a passionate promoter of backpacking as a cheap and reasonable way to travel. Ivan is also a frustrated historian and heritage activist, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Conservation Society - a feisty advocate for the preservation of Philippine architectural heritage.

FROM OUR READERS

Chelle LABoRTe This month’s dose of cheeky ‘Filipinisms’ come courtesy of an avid reader - Rachelle ‘Chelle’ Iris Laborte is a Communications Graduate from Ateneo de Manila University and a Licensed Interior Designer. Multi-talented Chelle was once an advertising Account Manager cum Contributing Writer for Summit Publications cum Weekend Volunteer for a Street Children Foundation cum Part-time Teacher in the Philippine School of Interior Design, before she became a full-fledged Interior Designer in the Philippines and now, in Dubai. A designer by day, an intuitive cook by night, Chelle also indulges in watersports and outdoor adventure during the weekends. A self-confessed worldtraveler-wannabe, Chelle believes that life is too short not to have great passion for everything she does.

edwin Lasquite Illustrado supporter Edwin Lasquite is an Abu Dhabi-based proud Tagumeño, who is also very active in the Filipino community scene. Edwin does not only lead his kababayans’ social group in the emirates, but also one of the most active Filipino sports clubs in the country – WOW Pinoy Badminton UAE, promoting the motto “Good Health Makes A Peaceful Mind”. When not on the court, Edwin loves to travel around the emirates, snapping beautiful moments and sceneries on his Canon Powershot. In our arts and culture section, Edwin shares with us the proud and joy of his fair city in Davao.

Publisher & Editor Lalaine Chu-Benitez Art Directors Paula Lorenzo Ron Perez Contributing Writers Philippines Carlito Viriña David Llorito Bernadette Reyes Lisa Cruz Mike Martin Jan La’O David Poarch Aby Yap Ivan Henares United Arab Emirates Maripaz Febrero Giselle Estrada Dawn Almario Sonny de Guzman Antonella Andrada Shar Matingka Jonie Jose Michael Vincent Serrano United Kingdom, Singapore, Oman Cecile Samson-Aquino Law Diche Cathy Cheng Doña Contributing Photographers Philippines Ben Chan Charles Lu United Arab Emirates Pot Ph Monina Uy Joel Guerrero Kris Lee Contributing Stylist Zekundo Chu Pam Quinones Advertising & Retail Sales Michael Maguigad Subscriptions & Admin Frances Therese Macaya Publisher Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC 2nd Floor, Building 2 P.O. Box 72280 Office 20C Dubai Media City, U.A.E. Tel: + 9714 365 4547 Fax: + 9714 360 4771 email: admin@illustrado.net Website: illustrado.net Printers Delta Printing Press L.L.C. P.O. Box 37140 Dubai, U.A.E. Copyright Illustrado Communications 2007.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC

07 October CONTENTS Features Happy People 6 Uy kamote, kumusta? 10 Larong Pinoy to the Max! 12 The Philippine Stock Exchange 16

Columns Contributors 2 Letters to the Editor 4 Famous Filipinos 18 Famous : Anna Julaton 20 Kabuhayan: Tiangge 34 Kabuhayan: Insuring Your Future 38 Community: Kabuhayan Syndicate 40 Successful Pinoy 42 Community: Proud Pinoy Kids 50 iFX Files 49 Face of the Month 55 Coconuter: Palengke 59 Onli in da Pilipins 64 The Annie B. Chronicles: From Bali to Singapore 66 Filipinisms: Are you a Pinoy in the UAE? 68 Usapang Kanto 69 Hilig Pinoy: Surfer Dude 70

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Fresh-faced Pia Cabrera poses gamely for this month’s action-packed fashion feature.

Fashion

60

The Games (Pinoy) People Play 22 Fashion Round-Up 32

Arts, Culture & Design Philippine Churches 44

People & Places Bakasyon Grande: Bulacan 52 Manila Trippin’: Binondo 56 Pinoy Planet: China 60

Entertainment Reborn in New Zealand 72 Sandwash Band 73 Manila’s Hot Releases 74

56

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Send your letters to: editor@illustrado.net

should be rightfully acknowledged for your work and passion.

On behalf of many Filipinos from all over the world, its just fitting to say that; “We are proud of you for taking pride in us.”

Great job Lalaine!

And if you need to reach out to the East Coast, let us know how we can help. I come from a family of mostly nurses - and nurses here are significant figures in the community.

This might be something of interest to your team.

Best regards, Louanne Claudio, New Jersey, USA Dear Editor,

Dear Ms. Editor, Thank you for your very informative article on Filipino Muslims in your September issue. It’s good that your magazine is trying to spread positive awareness on our small community – especially in time for the Holy season of Ramadan.

With utmost appreciation, Moh

Happy Birthday Illustrado!

Here’s to more years to come of elevating our kababayan to the status we deserve - worldclass!

Best wishes, Thelma Bowlen, Talahasee, Florida Dear Ms. Benitez, I have been receiving updates from your office on a lot of topics about OFW’s and the Philippines and I just want to say kudos to you and your team; you have done so much to promote our ‘Lupang Hinirang’ through Illustrado.

All the best and more power!!!

Sharon Diata-Buenaventura, Dubai

Dear Lalaine, Thumbs up to you and your troops for this job well done!

I just read the article about Illustrado in Inquirer’s Global Nation and I must say that your venture is ground breaking indeed. You

What great news! It’s good to hear that the Philippine economy is finally doing well (as per your feature in your September issue). We receive very little good news from our country so this is really a welcome development.

I look forward to seeing more good stuff coming from the Philippines.

Kudos and thanks to your team for giving us something to feel good about!

Rowena Peneyra, Sharjah

Dear Editor, Thank you for featuring Bo Sanchez and Larry Gamboa in your ‘Kabuhayan’ section.

I attended the ‘Think Truly Rich Pinoy’ seminar and also saw Bro. Bo’s interview with you in his online videocast in Kerygma, and I have to tell you that the knowledge I gained from all this has changed my life for the better. I am now more positive and aware of my finances and in fact, my husband and I are planning to learn more about investing to improve our future.

You’re really doing something good in your magazine by providing useful and practical info that we can apply in our daily life.

Keep up the good work.

Editha Borlaza, Dubai PS. Is there any chance that you might publish an article regarding how franchising works in the Philippines? This is a very interesting topic for many potential Filipino business people.

Dear Editha, Thank you for your kind compliments and for your interest in our magazine. Yes, we will definitely consider including a feature

on franchising in our following issues.

- ED Dear Lalaine, Congrats to Illustrado on your first year anniversary!

We are very proud of you and all your staff.

Mabuhay at God Bless!

You are setting up very good standards to make us Pinoy very proud of ourselves.

“Taas Noo, Pilipino Ako” Cheers, Antonio Ludovico, Toronto, Canada

Dear Illustrados, What a wonderful idea of featuring our rainy season in Manila last August. It brings up lots of memories. What I really miss during this season are the foods that I used to enjoy…. hmmm! Arroz Caldo, Champorado with tuyo, Ginataan, and of course Bulalo, it sounds so yummy now. Anyway, perfect magazine I would say. Swak sa content and creativity.

Proud to be a Filipino – Taas Noo! I came across your Sept issue last week..1 year na pala kayo ha. Congratulations!

- Belinda Lopez, Dubai Dear Ms. Editor, Hi! I have seen a couple of Illustrado magazines and I really liked it. I’ve never seen a quality publication like this; the design is very unique hindi basta basta and content-wise galing talaga! You guys rock, Mabuhay ang lahi natin – Taas Noo Filipino!

Gillian Gutierez, Sharjah

Hello mga Kabayan! Ako si Rodolfo Castaneda, isa sa mga masugid ninyong tagasubaybay dito sa UAE. Lubos akong nagagalak sa inyong magazine. Ipinakita ko sa aking amo ang ilan sa mga Famous Filipinos sa buong mundo at lalo niyang hinangaan ang ating lahi. Naway magpatuloy pa kayong maglathala ng magaganda nating katangian ng tuluyan nating maipakita sa buong mundo ang ating talento at kakayahan sa anumang bagay.

Rodolfo Castaneda, Dubai Hi po! Fan po ako ni Annie B. Tuwang tuwa po kami ng mga kasama ko sa kanyang mga adventures. Sana po dagdagan niyo pa ang mga sinusulat ninyo na nakakatuwa, yun lang po kasi ang pumapawi sa pagod namin sa pagtatrabaho na malayo sa aming mga pamilya.

Josephine Valderama, Abu Dhabi

6 FEATURE We’ve been called ‘third world’, our country’s problems well documented in the international arena. People know of our unsavory politics, the state of our national poor, the sufferings of our expats, as well as the crime, corruption and disasters, which are part of ‘normal’ life in this colorful little spot in South East Asia. AND YET, part of our popularity (or notoriety) is having the distinction of being the ‘happiest people in Asia’. Isn’t it ironic? That from a nation supposedly in dire distress, comes the region’s most cheerful people?

Happy People

From a beleaguered country come Asia’s happiest community

By Lalaine Chu-Benitez

Are you Filipino? Then you must be an extremely happy person. That’s according to studies done by the World Values Survey, MTV Asia, including AC Nielsen and the Economist Magazine in recent years.

Skeptics have analyzed, criticized and tried to disprove the merit of these studies.

Clearly, the normal perception would be that happiness should be correlated to the level of affluence, peace and order and therefore the well being and satisfaction of the population. For how could it be possible that people, who belong to a country where poverty is just one of the problems, could be happy at all?

Still, the global ‘happiness experts’ seem to agree that Filipinos are among the happiest people in the world, and the happiest among Asians. Rankings like the HPI or the Happy Planet Index, an index devised by British think-tank New Economics Foundation (NEF) in 2006, places the country at a high 17 among a list of 178, way ahead of Asian neighbors China (31), Malaysia (44) Hong Kong (88), Japan (95) South Korea (102) and

Singapore (131), affluent Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia (89), UAE (154), Kuwait (159), Qatar (166), and superpowers such as the UK (108) and the USA (150).

to here the odd story or two of Pinoys who have opted to live in ‘sharing’ (despite the availability of staff accommodation). Why? “Dahil masaya doon.”

Telltale signs of cheer

Back home in the Philippines, signs of cheerfulness abound. With the fiesta spirit, we have reason to celebrate throughout the year, aside from our four-month-long Christmas ritual, which starts unofficially in September. Even some unlikely events turn out to be opportunities for merriment – what is elsewhere a very somber affair like All Soul’s Day, for us, is a festival of sorts. Even supposedly tense welgas end up like peryas complete with hawkers and revellers.

But could these cold statistics actually ring true? A look at our kababayans in their ‘natural habitat’ will probably shed some light on the discussion. Local places in the emirates frequented by Pinoys during the weekends echo the same buoyant mood that prevails in the likes of Lucky Plaza in Singapore or Statue Square in Hong Kong.

Whether you’re at the Jumeirah Beach, Karama, Satwa, Al Riqqa or in Electra St., Pinoys are either chatting, giggling, eating, and exchanging stories – most being friendly with people they have met for the first time – “kabayan kasi.”

All of our kababayans who live in cramped apartments around the country don’t find sharing accommodation easy at all, but despite the discomfort, it’s not uncommon

And what about those unique (or bizarre) exhibition of the Pinoy jovial spirit in neighborhood or sidewalk videokes, or in the most unlikely of places like the Cebu jail where convicted criminals were reported to have found a new lease on life, after dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller en masse, to the amazement of the outside world?

FEATURE 7

Is it blissful ignorance or naïve optimism that makes us happy inspite of all the curve balls that life throws at us?

Our ‘happiness recipe’ Last year, a BBC UK feature ‘The Science of Happiness’, revealed that ‘happiness researchers’ have been monitoring people’s life satisfaction for decades. Apparently, they have found out that despite the massive increase in wealth in developed countries in the last 50 years, levels of happiness have not increased.

The report also pointed out that there is no key to happiness, although a set of ingredients is vital. These ‘happiness requisites’ include – wider and deeper relationships with family and friends, having a meaning in life – a belief in something bigger than oneself from religion, spirituality or a philosophy in life, and having long term goals embedded in one’s value system, that a person also finds enjoyable. Considering these key factors, it appears that Filipinos do have a built in advantage in the pursuit of happiness.

Firstly, Filipinos have very strong familial and social bonds. Perhaps even more legendary than the Pinoy’s open and friendly

attitude is our well-known devotion to family – regardless of financial means. That’s the main reason why so many have opted to find their destiny outside the country.

it escapism or resilience? Whatever the case, the skill still serves an important purpose.

Larger than family and social ties, Filipinos are also intensely spiritual. It doesn’t matter whether one is Catholic or Muslim or of some other faith, but Filipinos believe in a higher being. Hence, we are always hopeful of redemption beyond the difficult and sometimes painful tangible realities of daily life.

In this day and age of growing metaphysical awareness, when a lot of people believe that positive emotional energy can actually lead to good health, better physical performance even an improvement in one’s future, it is important to remember that we Filipinos – happy people, possess a special ‘gift’ – a prowess more powerful than the pervading sense of helplessness and anger that we allow ourselves to experience from time to time.

Certain Pinoy traits also predispose us towards optimism. Whoever said that Filipinos laugh for no apparent reason must be correct, because we laugh when we’re happy, we even laugh when we’re nervous or when faced with a difficult situation. Some can even laugh at themselves in failure. Of course, there’s that famous bahala na attitude - considered a negative Filipino cultural trait, but in this case, works positively, providing ready acceptance to what life brings.

Still, some experts argue that ‘happiness’ or ‘feigned cheerfulness’ is not so much a manifestation of our real feelings, but a response mechanism - part of our coping skills. We steer away from the stress of negative realities by trying to be ‘masaya’. Is

The power of joy

New age beliefs aside, happiness is a valuable commodity that sets us apart from other nationalities giving us an edge in the global platform of competition. While the ability to summon optimism in the most challenging of times is a great survival skill that will keep us trudging on, no matter what.

And finally, even at its most basic, in the form of a smile, happiness is the best form of indulgence anyone can have - because it’s warm, free and liberating.

So go ahead, smile that silly Pinoy smile!

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10 FEATURE

Uy kamote, Kumusta?

By Law Diche

“We suffer a lot in our society from loneliness. So much of our life is an attempt to not be lonely: ‘Let’s talk to each other; let’s do things together so we won’t be lonely.’

And yet inevitably, we are really alone in these human forms. We can pretend; we can entertain each other; but that’s about the best we can do. When it comes to the actual experience of life, we’re very much alone; and to expect anyone else to take away our loneliness is asking too much.” Ajahn Sumedho, American Buddhist monk

I

t was my first week at the Lion City. Going my merry way at its famed shopping stretch, Orchard Road, I traipsed along its myriad line of malls before finally deciding to enter one.

No sooner than a couple of minutes inside and I see two women in their mid-30s greet and exclaim to each other: WOMAN 1: Uy, daing laog ngunyan! (There’s no work today!)

WOMAN 2: Iyo, holiday baga! (Yes, it’s a holiday!)

“Ayos!”, I said to myself.

It’s my first ‘close encounter’ with a fellow Pinoy in a foreign land and they’re Bicolanas, from my parents’ home province, to boot.

I remembered thinking, “There goes my Lonely Planet experience!”

according to a figure I got from our embassy.

But come on! Can I at least have a couple of days perhaps of utter aloneness? Para naman mas ‘feel’ kong nasa ibang bansa ako, kumbaga.

Yup, I’m a Lonely Planet kind of guy – you know that Discovery Channel show where this fellow goes around the world, ALONE. There’s something exotic and exciting in being new and alone in a ‘faraway land’.

The anonymity allows you the pleasure of observing things, events, and yes people, without being observed yourself. Having oneself stuck inconspicuously in a corner has its ‘rewards’. Like overhearing a funny story at the train, an interesting verbal exchange at the market, or lovers’ squabble in a restaurant, perhaps? Each event, gesture, sound, would somehow leave you with an increased understanding of human nature.

And it’s not just being the typical Pinoy uzi.

Close Encounters of the Pinoy kind

I know. Singapore is not like Antartica or some galaxy far, far away - it’s just a 3-hour flight from Manila. Lest we forget, it also plays host to 120,000 warm Pinoy bodies

But like anything else, there’s the other side of the coin. Admittedly, while being in ‘Lonely Planet mode’ is a novelty, there is an

equally novel charm about meeting fellow Pinoys in a foreign land. A simple smile or greeting may not bring you closer to home, but it takes your heart to your hearth, as a manner of speaking. Moreover, these encounters can be truly entertaining as you come across a myriad of Pinoy personalities, just like typical movie casts. Here are some of the quirky characters you just might meet The Gossip A friend tells me “ang Pinoy, natural na tsismosa’t tsismoso”. He narrates how he observed two Pinays (Bicolanas as well) in a food court who were yet observing another guy, throwing remarks like “Hilinga baya garo bua, nag-uulok na solo!” (roughly, “That crazy guy’s laughing all by himself”).

The Criers They’re the ones who are ready to shed a tear and tell you about their woes at the snap of a finger. I’m not saying these are faux tears but they are the type who wouldn’t think twice about pouring their hearts out in public, pretty much the way a lot of our artistas back home do.

FEATURE 11

The Snob They are the bourgeoisie - that’s burgis for us Pinoys, though in common usage, it’s pejorative, suggesting either undeserved wealth, or lifestyles, tastes, and opinions that lack the sophistication of the genuinely rich or the authenticity of the intellectual or the poor. Or simply put, sosyal - our all defining word for the elite, rich, mayaman, may-kaya.

A guy in a forum I recently read relates of such an encounter. “This family was obviously tourists, taking pictures and all. Hearing one of them speak Tagalog, I volunteered to shoot a picture, speaking Tagalog as well.” The mom answered back in ENGLISH and said it was no bother.

Not all though would be snobs but rather would act that way as the situation fits.

“Minsan pauwi na ko after ng gimik, may nakasakay akong mga Pinoy sa train and they said ‘kabayan musta na?’. Dedma, kunwari di ko sila naintindihan and they said ‘‘Di pala kabayan.’ Pero pag may pogi, look na ko.”

That’s how one relates her story.

The Cool Cat He’s the guy who blends in with the crowd but at the same time stands out really well - he’s an oxymoron. He most probably epitomizes what the Lee tagline “Fit In, Stand Out” means. He’s stylish, in the ‘when in Rome do as the Romans do’ kind of way. Look closer

though and you’d realize his bag’s brand is Bench.

The Casper

meeting kababayans makes you suddenly remember home. And most often than not, the memories are amusing.

This term was coined by an ex-officemate referring of course to Casper the Friendly Ghost. I would imagine most Pinoys abroad would fall in this category as we’re naturally friendly folks. It’s not uncommon for Pinoy groups to form from just about anywhere.

Perhaps, you’ll remember Aling Nena, the sari-sari storeowner. You remember Maria, your neighbor and first crush. You remember Max, the baranggay’s resident maton. You remember Mang Pepe, your school bus driver.

You remember people, places, even events back home - and it feels good.

“Well, I joined a basketball team composed mostly of Pinoys and some foreigners. It’s an opportunity to kick some serious foreign a@#.

Magaling pa rin ang Pinoy sa basketball!” is another friend’s story.

You need not speak Tagalog, Bicol or some other Pinoy dialect either. Somehow, like a sixth sense, you know a Pinoy when you see one.

A recent visit to yet another mall made me realize that. The checkout counter lady at the But as one forum writer puts it in a discussion supermarket asked me unexpectedly, “May I started at www.pinoysg.com, (a website barya ka, 20 cents?” that caters to Pinoys in living in Singapore), “Pinoys are pretty much the same back home A woman having a date with her Indian wherever they are in the world.” We’ve got boyfriend asked my wife who was walking the aforementioned types – the gossips, my daughter, “Saan ka sa ‘Pinas? Taga-Bacolod criers, snobs, sosyals, cool cats, caspers and ako.” what-have-you. There are probably a lot more types out there that you guys had a close My wife answered, “Paranaque”. encounter with.

Different Fatherland, Same Pinoy Flavor

Whatever personalities you meet, however, what’s so good about these encounters with fellow Pinoys abroad is that it leads you back to your roots in a jiffy. You realize, ‘di ka nag-iisa. Caught in the hustle and bustle of your new world,

“Ha, Paranaque? Nagtrabaho din ako dun sa may FTI, yung sa kaliwa. Malapit ba kayo dun?

Kilala mo ba si…”

Well, you know how that one would go. Aliw ‘di ba?

12 FEATURE

Larong Pinoy to the Max! It’s interesting how recreational activities have always been part of our lives as Filipinos.

Starting from infancy, we were raised with the concept of fun interaction through games.

Every Pinoy was ‘baptized’ with the “It… it... bulaga!” experience – an initiation for our little ones to the Filipino world of exciting and entertaining diversions.

By Aby Yap

A

s toddlers, we are introduced to the joys of having a playmate. We played Jack en Poy, the Pinoy version of ‘rock, pencil, paper, scissors’, and recited “nanay, tatay”, while clapping our hands together with our partner. Then we progressed into guessing games – of which pitik bulag, is a firm favorite.

Team games are a big part of growing up in Philippines. Neighborhood kids would often rush outdoors avoiding afternoon siesta, just to play. All that was needed was a huge space and sportsmanship to avoid pikunan (annoyance) in the event of losing.

Agawan base is an all-time favorite, where the players, divided into two teams, try to capture the opposing team’s base camp by tagging.

Patintero is another popular group game, where the ground is horizontally divided into four equal parts and vertically separated into two. Two teams competed - one composed of runners and the other with ‘taggers’ or the ‘taya’. The objective is

to run through all the lines of back and forth without being touched on the clothes or any body part. Hence runners have to develop a strategy to distract the ‘taggers’ who were positioned in the horizontal and vertical lines.

Less exhausting team games included habulan estatwa, where the taya (‘it’) tags the other players turning them into statues, while other active players try to touch

the ‘statues’ to make them move again.

‘Monkey-Anabel’ is similarly played, except that “monkey!” has to be uttered to freeze the players, and “Anabel!” to unfreeze them.

For those who prefer jumping and hopping, there’s luksong-tinik or luksong baka (jump over thorns or cows) and piko (hopping). In the Pinoy kids’ favorite jumping games the target is to go over the highest number of hands positioned one over the other (tinik),

FEATURE 13

or a player in crawl position (baka). In piko, the Pinoy version of hopscotch, players throw a pamato or improvised marker like a stone, on a big square divided into parts (usually marked on the ground) and hop into the marked area, trying not to step on the lines.

Tumbang preso (topple the prisoner) is another team game where one player acts as prisoner guarding an empty can, while the others try to hit it with a slipper as pamato.

When the can is knocked down, the prisoner puts it upright before tagging the players trying to get back their pamatos. Then there’s always good old ‘hide and seek’ in the form of taguan for those looking a different kind of excitement.

During fiestas, Pinoy kids have a blast playing games for prizes. Palo sebo is a favorite during these occasions. The player has to display strength and agility by climbing a tall, greased bamboo pole.

We also have hampas palayok, wherein blindfolded players, with a wooden bat, try to break a clay pot loaded with sweets, toys, money and other goodies just Mexicans do

with their piñata.

The Filipino penchant for competitive entertainment is further extended to unsuspecting creatures. Before our male elders ventured into sabong (cockfighting), they must have played ‘spider battle’ or laban ng gagamba and karera ng suso first. ‘Spider battle’ pits two gagambas against each other on a small stick or tingting, and whichever spider eats or topples the other wins.

Ironically, karera ng suso is a race among the slowest of creatures – snails.

Understandably, as Pinoys grew up, they progressed into more serious types of sports. While a lot of our kababayans like sipa the country’s national sport and excel in basketball, billiards, bowling, boxing and chess at par with international standards, it is the traditional and indigenous Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) that sets us apart from the rest of the world.

When exactly FMA began is unknown, but historical records show that it already existed when the Spanish conquerors, lead

by Magellan, came to Mactan in 1521. As

we learned in school, Magellan died in the hands of the tribe led by the Philippines’ first hero, Lapu-Lapu. But little did we know that our forefathers used FMA to fight off the foreigners. Indigenous swords, spears, blowpipes and arrows were no match for the Spaniards’ sophisticated weapons, but it was the physical skill and martial arts prowess of the native Filipinos which made a difference - spelling their victory.

FMA has several disciplines, each one having its own distinct fighting technique. There is eskrima or arnis, dumog, sikaran, kuntaw and jendo.

Eskrima (to engage in combat) or arnis, also dubbed as arnis de mano (harness of the hand), is known in the USA and Europe as kali (sword). It is a defence-based art that utilizes sticks, made from either rattan or kamagong (ironwood), and swords. Initially kept as a secret art, it was only taught to villagers as a means of protection from attacks. When the Spanish ruled the islands, the natives had to camouflage their eskrima practice with Spanish dance and fencing. Only in the 1960’s was the sport taught to the public

14 FEATURE

by Filipinos in the USA. Today, fight scenes featuring eskrima can be seen in films such as ‘The Bourne Identity’, ‘Tomb Raider’, ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘Mission Impossible 3’, as well as in ‘Mortal Kombat’ the movie, and its video games.

Dumog, also called buno or combat judo, refers to wrestling techniques to ‘move’ or throw the opponent. It originated in the Negros Island’s southern part and in Panay, Antique, practiced by barrio farmers as a pastime. They originally used the skill to control carabaos by catching their horns and wrestling them down. A dumogero, with his well-built body, firm legs and wide shoulders, is usually considered as the village pacifier.

Kuntaw was originally taught only to the Maharlika (royalty) in Mindanao. Under the Sikaran is considered the only traditional Spanish reign, the practice of martial arts and Philippine style of karate, which uses various the carrying of weapons were banned. But types of kicks. Originating in the Luzon through Moro-Moro, the Filipinos continued jungles, it was traditionally used to gauge a their training disguised in playacting. Kuntaw man’s worthiness to a maiden. Two suitors developed into a stick-fighting art despite competing for a maiden’s attention would being initially focused on open hand striking, place their slippers at her doorstep. The soft defensive techniques and kicking. maiden would then take the slippers of the The Lanadas from the Tausug tribe later one she liked inside the house. If she chose innovated the sport. no one, the men would fight each other with a balisong (butterfly knife) while their wrists Jendo is relatively a new art. Established in tied were together.

1986 in Mandaluyong City, it was founded

by Jonathan Makiling Abaya based on the philosophy of Tatlong-Lakas (Tri-Force). It uses bare hands and feet with traditional sticks and bladed weapons like arnis, pang-or, bangkaw, itak, bolo and punyal.

With such a penchant for fun and interesting diversions, a profound history and rich culture, the Philippines has a chest full of indigenous games and sports to offer children and adults alike. It is only up to us to uncover these, once in a while, to marvel at our very own enjoyable treasures.

16 FEATURE

Investing in the Philippine

Stock Exchange

By Bernadette Reyes

The Philippine stock market just like other progressive exchanges in the world has brought fortune to many dedicated stock market investors allowing them to accumulate earnings in amounts large enough to pay for their children’s education, afford them brand-new cars and family vacation trips. As the local bourse continues to reach greater heights, pockets of individual investors continue to fill, while foreign investors are encouraged to build greater confidence in the country’s capability to sustain a healthy economy en route to further national progress.

The local bourse, which used to be characterized by sluggish growth, has begun catching up with its Asian counterparts in recent years. Last year, the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) was among the fastest growing markets in Asia. According to a study conducted by the PSE, among neighboring exchanges, the Philippine market posted the second-fastest growth in the main index, with the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) up by 42.3 percent, in domestic market capitalization at 58 percent, and ranked third in terms of most rapid increase in value turnover at 49.1 percent.

The surge in the PSEi, which is the main barometer of local stock price movements, was better than its counterparts in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. This means that on the average, investors in the Philippine market made more money faster than their counterparts in most Asian countries.

The study however, excluded the two stock exchanges in China, which have led in

almost all aspects of the race among Asian bourses. Among the exchanges in Asia outside of China, the Jakarta Stock Exchange reportedly recorded the fastest growth in the index at 55.3 percent and in domestic market capitalization at 70.3 percent. In terms of value turnover, the Singapore Stock Exchange posted the highest gain at 51.3 percent, according to the study. However, the same study revealed that in absolute numbers, the figures posted by PSE were below those in other Asian countries.

This year, the local bourse started demonstrating an upbeat performance as early January as the Philippine market surged to its highest level in nearly 10 years, with PSEi breaching the 3,000-point level. In May this year, the index soared even higher to an all-time high of 3,431.70.

The rise in the market may be attributed to the string of positive macroeconomic developments in the country. The Philippines’ GDP growth marked a 20-year high at 7.3 percent in the first six months this year as against 5.6 percent a year

ago on the back of stronger government spending on infrastructure and growth in private consumption. Inflation rate has also eased averaging only 2.6 percent for the first nine months this year prompting lower interest rates. The peso also demonstrated strength against the US dollar and a significant growth in OFW remittances has been reported. These factors were also complemented by the attractive initial public offerings of some companies and the additional sale of shares tendered by existing listed firms.

With the country’s strong economic fundamentals, better fiscal management by the government, robust earnings, growth of corporations on the back of relative political stability, the local equities market is expected to see further gains in the near term. Economic analysts vow the euphoria is likely to spill over in the medium to long term should the Philippines continue to post economic improvements along with other positive development in fiscal policy.

FEATURE 17

PSE president and chief executive officer Francis Lim however said the Philippine market is yet to reach its full potential, as there is still much room for investor growth. PSE is the only existing stock exchange in the Philippines founded in 1927. Established long before the Second World War it is one of the oldest and largest bourses in Southeast Asia but only less than one percent of the 80 million Philippine population is involved in stock market activities. To increase awareness and participation, PSE together with educational institutions and private companies have been conducting seminars and road shows across the country. Increased market activities are also expected through online trading portal such as 2TradeAsia, BPI Trade and Citiseconline.

While the progress of the PSE is still a far cry from the feats of US Nasdaq or Dow Jones, the number of listed companies in the Philippines has grown over the years. As the country’s main index, PSEi is composed of 30 major listed companies. All other listed companies fall under sectoral indices including the Financials index, the Industrial index, the Holding Firms index, the Property index, the Services index, and the Mining and Oil index. Of late, IT businesses have also begun trading their stocks, most of them listed under the commercial and industrial index.

Blue-chips or stocks of major corporations such as San Miguel Corp., ABS-CBN Corp., Ayala Corp., Globe Telecom Inc., Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Company (PLDT), SM Investments Corp. and Meralco have continued to deliver profitable growth to investors. Other stocks actively traded on Philippine market are companies involved in banking such as Banco de OroEPCI, Inc. Bank of the Philippine Islands, and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.; property like Megaworld Corp., Filinvest Land Inc. and Ayala Land Inc.; and most recently, mining such as Geograce Resources Philippines, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp.

The build-up of foreign investment is also propping up the market according to Lim. Net foreign buying in the stock market posted an 86.2 percent to PHP46.56 billion during the first five months of the year, from PHP25.01 billion a year earlier. Net foreign buying is the difference between total foreign buying against total foreign selling in a given period. Foreign buying nearly doubled to PHP280.31 billion from PHP141.2 billion in the same period. Foreign selling on the other hand saw a 101.3 percent increase to PHP233.75 billion from PHP116.14 billion.

“I am optimistic we can sustain the interest of foreign investors, as long as the country’s economic foundations remain solid and our political leaders will maintain their sense of maturity and sobriety,” Lim said.

PSE hopes to lure in more foreign investors to pour in money into the local equities market, among these are the OFWs. At the moment, OFWs cannot open brokerage accounts without personal appearance.

PSE is now lobbying changes in the Anti Money Laundering Act (AMLA) particularly the “know your client” provision of the law. While AMLA is part of the global drive against money being channeled to fund terrorism, some of its provisions inhibit OFWs from opening an account with online brokerage firms. PSE has been encouraging banks and brokerage firms to forge partnerships or banks to open online brokerage firms so that OFWs abroad can trade online. However, Lim said the PSE understands the need for this requirement and it is exploring alternatives like conducting pre-departure seminars with OFWs about stock market investing.

PSE is trying to work as closely as possible with the Philippine government to entice more local investors to take a closer look at the stock market not only to make a lot of money for themselves, but ultimately to help usher in more foreign investment in the country as it moves forward to greater economic progress.

18 FAMOUS FILIPINOS

By

Maripaz Febrero

When young Filipinos make it big in whatever profession they choose, it is even more of a triumph for all of us. Today, there are a lot of Filipinos out there who have already reached the pinnacle of their dreams at an early age and who’s to doubt that this can only be the result of really good Pinoy genes?

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Vanessa Anne Hudgens Teen Star of Theatre, Films and Music anessa was born in Salinas, California on December 14, 1988 to a Filipino-Chinese mother and Irish-AmericanIndian father. She landed her first commercial when she auditioned in place a friend who couldn’t make it. After that, she did some modelling and finally got into the big screen. Her first movie was ‘Thirteen’ (2003), followed by ‘Thunderbirds’ (2004).

m

The multi-talented 19-year old star loves acting, singing and dancing, and uses her talents all together in theater musicals.

Her role credits include ‘Evita’, ‘Carousel’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘The King & I’, ‘The Music Man’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Damn Yankees’. Most recently, she got to show it all on screen

Michael Copon

ichael Copon was born on November 13, 1982 in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA to a Filipino father and German-American mother.

He quickly advanced from high school senior and defense on Deep Creek’s football team in 2000 to print model in Los Angeles to Fox Kids Network’s ‘Power Rangers’ as Blue Ranger Lucas after graduation in 2001. He beat 40 competitors for the role.

Growing up, Michael’s father taught him Filipino values and culture. Michael jokes, “My dad eats fish heads, and showed me how to suck fish eyeballs, and he made me do it.” Michael said he was overweight when he was a kid and his favorite foods are classic

Hunky Ranger

pansit, chicken adobo, lumpia, and sinigang while his least favorite foods are bagoong and dinuguan.

Of his dreams, Michael said, “I would like to see myself being more successful in this business to the point where I can start taking care of a family. My dream is to be a father.

This business is cool and all, but I do a lot of other things other than acting. I own a restaurant up on Hollywood Boulevard. I’m doing a lot of different business things so that by that time I’ll be set up to where I can go to that next step in life. So I’d like to own more real estate and another restaurant and make films and music.”

In 2008, Michael will be in ‘Bring It On: In It to Win It’ and has been working on a new movie called ‘We Got The Beat’.

too! Teen smash hit Disney Channel’s original movie ‘High School Musical’ featured Vanessa in the lead role of Gabriella Montez, a shy A-student who has to overcome her fear of performing on stage.

‘High School Musical’ made history when it became the first full-length feature film available to Apple iTunes users at the Music Store. The film spawned a hit soundtrack, a worldwide concert tour, a show at Walt Disney World, and even a book to land Vanessa in No.7 of the ‘Top 10 List of Forbes magazine’s top-earning stars under 21’ with her estimated earnings of $2 million.

But what does she like most of all? “You give me any kind of chocolate, I will eat it, believe me! I’m addicted to do it. Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved chocolate. I even have it by my bedside.”

20 FAMOUS FILIPINOS

Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton

takes women’s boxing by storm!

S

he becomes ‘The Hurricane’, a non-stop, action packed, “let’s get down and throw bombs” type fighter, but always able to put on a show with her excellent counter punching and a smile at her opponents during a match.

In the 2007 US Championships, Ana received the silver medal with a heavy heart, “I truly was disappointed in not bringing home the gold. When I’m in the ring I always feel I’m fighting for more than myself, I fight to represent both my countries (Philippines/USA), my Dojo (WestWind Schools), my team, my fans and the entire world of women’s boxing.”

Ana admits she admires Leila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, for what she’s accomplished in women’s pro boxing. She’s also an unabashed fan of fellow Filipino Manny Pacquaio, the IBF junior featherweight champion. “He’s inspiring,” she said.

Ana took up boxing two years ago at the urging of trainer and manager Angelo Reyes, and envisions making a name for herself in the pros one day. “That’s the ultimate goal,” she said matter-of-factly. “It’s why I got into it.”

Still, it’s a bit of a fluke that Ana, a former Taekwondo champion, got into boxing at all. “I wasn’t a fan of boxing growing up,” Ana said. “It didn’t make sense to me that a bunch of athletes would go into the ring and try to knock the tar out of each other.

Ana Julaton has a bubbly personality, a knockout smile and happily spends six days a week as a sensei teaching self-defence to men, women and children at the West Wind Bok Wu dojo in Berkeley, California.

But at night, the 25-year-old Alameda native changes into a 5-foot-5, 125-pounder who puts on a headgear and gloves to become an aggressive, determined, relentless attacker… in the boxing ring.

But Angelo showed me how scientific it is,” she added. “I saw parallels between martial arts and boxing. It’s beautiful if done correctly.”

She fights in a variety of styles, borrowing from the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard and even Mike Tyson. She also plays to the crowd a lot, rarely backs up and never, ever quits.

“Win or lose, I try to make it so people enjoy boxing,” she said. “More than anything, it’s about putting on a show.”

“The crowd likes her heart,” Reyes said. “She’s fighting people who have been fighting since they were little kids, and she’s trying to knock them out because that’s what the people want to see. She’s kind of like the people’s champion.”

At the last Golden Gloves, an injury severely hampered Ana’s ability against opponent and eventual champion, Talmadge, but she refused to back down. “I thought it was just a sprain, but I couldn’t really lunge or go forward in that fight,” Ana said. “Still, what made it fun was trying to stay focused, stick to the game plan and see what I could do against her.”

She faced Talmadge again at the USA Regional Box-Offs in Sacramento and suffered a blunt trauma to her right eye. She had double vision for a round, then no vision in it. “It was the weirdest thing,” Ana recalled. “I was boxing... then the eye blacked out on me. I thought I’d just ride it out and see what happened.”

Reyes wanted to call off the fight. “I told her I was going to stop it, and she said “Hell, no!’”

Reyes said with a laugh. “She didn’t want to give (Talmadge) the satisfaction of her quitting. She’s got that mentality.”

Ana had a big disappointment at the U.S. Nationals in Colorado. Reyes said four of the five judges told him they thought Julaton won, but their clicks on the computerized punch-counter weren’t quick enough to be recorded.

“The one major flaw with the system when you have a fighter with fast hands like Ana,” Reyes said, “is that the judges all have to register points at the same time. If they’re too slow, the points don’t go into the computer.”

Ana is philosophical about it all.

“It’s disappointing, and it haunts your mind when things like that happen,” she said. “But you just have to take it like it is and get better.

It’s a learning process.”

Ana has broken a lot of barriers along her journey and will continue to do so as the highest-ranking Filipina in the history of US Boxing, but the biggest wall she always seems to break through is the one to the heart! Whether it’s in the ring with her punches, to her Philippine community with her dedication or to her many fans and admirers with her signature smile. Like so few before her, Ana ‘The Hurricane’ Julaton is truly a new hope for the sport of women’s boxing and all Filipinos.

There you go, more Filipinos to be proud of and inspire us to go for even bigger dreams. With our obvious wealth of talent and remarkable skills, we can go out there and blaze trails of glory that only Pinoys know how to. Sugod, mga kapatid!

22 FASHION Notable Pinoy moments: 1992 - Taekwondo jins Stephen Fernandez and Bea Lucero won a bronze medal each in the Olympics in Barcelona.

1999 - Roberto ‘Kitoy’ Cruz won a gold medal in the Tae Kwon Do World Cup, while Mark Rosales did the same in the World Wushu Championship.

2002 – Team Philippines wins three gold medals in the Asian Games in Busan. 2005 –Indigenous Filipino sport arnis was introduced at the Southeast Asian Games held in Manila for the first time, with Anna Joy Fernandez winning the gold in the women’s full contact event. In the Martial Arts events Filipinos bagged 18 golds for wushu and tae kwon do. 2006 - Wushu artist Rene Sornito Catalan scored the country’s fourth gold at the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

Attack

Grey Danza wrap over pink Deha fabric headband worn as tube top, matched with white Deha capri leggings, arm warmers and Air Dance jazz shoes in silver

Text: Lalaine Chu-Benitez Photography: Illuminado Ong Stylist: Zekundo Chu Hair and Make-Up: Basil Yunting Model Coordination: Andy Penano Model: Pia Cabrera Fashion: All clothes and accessories from Meeting Love Sports, Palm Strip, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai

THE

GAMES PINOY PEOPLE PLAY The adrenalin-packed boxing rings of Las Vegas, the burning running tracks and regimented wushu arenas of Asia, and the ultra-coiffed atmosphere of Blackpool dance halls have all witnessed Filipino verve and brawn. This time, as the season shifts to a more invigorating mode, incite the sporty Pinoy in you by trying out the latest sportswear that’s all about urban chic, high-tech comfort and sexy femininity. So whether you are a femme fatale with a killer strike, a tough pugilist with the face of an angel, or simply an amazing pair of legs made for both sprinting and salsa - blur the lines to win.

So, what’s YOUR game?

Catch

Light brown mini overalls with lavender ‘over shoulder’, accessorized with peach foulard, all from Deha

FASHION 25 FASHION 25

Notable Pinoy moments: Basketball is the most loved sports in the Philippines, with the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA), widely considered as the first and oldest professional basketball league in the Asian region. 1930’s – 1950’s – The Philippines performed well in its participation in the Olympic basketball event from the 1930s to the 1950s and placed third in the 1954 World Basketball Championship (WBC) held in Brazil. 1960’s – 1980’s – The country earned 4 Asian Games gold medals in the sport and has also won the Asian Basketball Conference (ABC) championships in 1960, 1963, 1967, and 1973. 1980’s to 1990’s – Team Philippines won the William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament in 1986 and 1998, and the ABC Champions Cup four times: 1984, 1988, 1995 and 1996.

Move

Grey Danza jazz pants with Deha sports top and Danza leotard combo; accentuated by Deha ‘over shoulder’ in maroon and black ribbed gloves. Air Dance jazz shoes in silver complete the look.

FASHION 27 Notable Pinoy moments: 1958 – The Philippines’ national folk dance company the Bayanihan makes history at the Brussels Universal Exposition, besting 13 national dance groups. 1999 - Powerdance led

by Douglas Nierras, the country’s premiere modern jazz and showdance company beats 73 groups from all over the world snatching the Grand Prix at the 10th Saitama International Concourse in Japan.

2005 - Filipino dance couple Edna Ledesma and John Co won Gold in the Blackpool Dance Festival in London, ballroom dancing’s equivalent to the Olympics. The two defeated competition from Belgium, Italy, Czechoslovakia, including perennial winner, Spain, and were the only Asians in the list of victors. 2007 – Philippine entry Halili-Cruz School of Ballet (HCSB) bagged all seven major perpetual awards in a grand slam at the 9th Asia-Pacific Dance competition held in Singapore

Jab

Meeting top and Deha ‘over shoulder’, teamed with Danza grey shorts and Deha lavender miniskirt combo, accessorized with Deha fabric belt bag and basque

Notable Pinoy sporting moments: 1960 – Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde destroys Harold Gomes at the inauguration of the Araneta Coliseum, consequently reigning for seven and a half years as World Junior Lightweight Champion. 1964 – The Philippines wins an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo through boxer Anthony Villanueva. 1996 - Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco scores another Olympic silver for the country in Atlanta. 2006 – Modern day Pinoy boxing icon, Manny ‘The Pacman’ Pacquiao knocks out Erik Morales twice in one year to maintain his WBC International Super Featherweight title. 2007 – The ‘Pacman’ does it again – knocking-out Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas, adding another win to his sterling international ring record of 45 wins, three losses, two draws with 35 knockouts.

FASHION 29

Notable Pinoy sporting moments: 1962 – Mindanao-born sprinter Mona Suleiman was declared Asia’s fastest woman when she won two gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events at the Jakarta Asian Games. 1980’s – Lydia de Vega inherits the crown running away with the gold medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad and the 1986 Seoul Asiad. She also brought home a silver medal in the 200-meter race in Seoul. 1990’s - Elma Muros-Posadas was named Southeast Asia’s Fastest Woman and Southeast Asia’s Iron Woman during her prime as a track and field champion, becoming one of the Philippines’ legendary sports icons – amassing 15 gold medals from all the SEA Games she joined, as well as over 200 medals from various competitions.

FASHION 31

Sprint Deha peach singlet with gauzy wrap topped with dark green ‘over shoulder’; peach ballet skirt over Giselle convertible tights finished off with Deha legwarmers and ankle socks combo and Dancin salsa shoes in silver

FASHION 33

Lay Up Deha light brown singlet and green razorback cropped top combo, with Meeting hot pants; accessorized with Deha leg and arm warmers in grey, green cotton visor and maroon flip-flops

34 FASHION ROUND-UP

Lee Cooper – Industry, Strength, Life, Work Lee Cooper turns back the clock and returns to the tough beginnings of denim this winter. Resurrecting the fashion legacy of the Industrial Revolution and the World Wars, the Lee Cooper look this winter is macho and modish. Rugged, heavy and layered styling bespeaks of perilous lifestyles and dare-devil attitudes. With a range of denims inspired by the turn-of-the-century work force; rough cuts and strong and dark washes take precedence. Black denims and distress cargoes, wax-coated denim make s comeback company for rawwashed lurex and skinny denims. Diamante detailing and surface ornamentation bring out the chrome-effect for metal junkies. World War II inspired bomber jackets, wadded jackets and trench coats complete a look that is industrial, strong and all-out vintage.

From danger to adventure, the Travellers’ pays homage to the insatiable wanderlust. Casual, stylish and effortless, Lee Cooper’s Travellers’ dips into the upper-class wanderlust to channel an attitude that is active, vibrant, comfortable and sporty. A rainbow of colors including the brilliant brights of Ibiza, the lush verdure of the Far East, cerulean blue of Mediterranean and the blinding white of the Alps sweeps through the collection. Keeping embellishments to a barely-there minimum, Lee Cooper adds a bit of zing with wild nautical stripes, badges, quirky prints inspired by cool destinations or roadways. But for those with a need for classic chic, there are oversized jackets and sweaters with an understated class reminiscent of the fashionable crowd at St Moritz.

BATA- Italian Style at its Best With the winter season creeping in, Italian footwear Bata, showcases its latest autumn winter collection to satisfy the trend predator in you!

Bata’s signature design technique of combining high fashion with comfort and functionality is apparent in it’s new release of scenestealing heels, pumps and boots.

The new collection includes a variety of high heels with pointed toes or peep toes, as well as comfortable pumps with very stylish buckle treatments. Colors range from black, grey, bordeaux and dark brown, while textures vary from calfskin, shiny and patent leathers. Get the look of the season by pairing these with ankle length skinny pants or a drainpipe skirt.

For winter’s de riguer boots Bata has created innovative designs by combining hard ware such as studs, chains, buckles and etc, with textured materials such as suede, rub leather and nubuck. Extremely en vogue this season is the crushed look on classic boots in brown, black, perfect with large check patterns, a woolen cardigan or a wool coat with long low waist pants.

Truly a collection that satisfies those who love to stay in the fashion limelight this winter!

KABUHAYAN

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Money, Assets and Investing

Tiangge

By Bernadette Reyes

Eva Dueñas and her parents Ernie and Nitz with only a PHP50,000 capital and no business background, decided to put up a tiangge stall in one of the bazaar fairs in the country in 2005.

More than two years after they joined the ranks of other concessionaires, the Dueñas family have been earning steady income from a business venture they never thought would become such a big hit in the Philippines today.

The Dueñas family entered the tiangge business shortly after Ernie accepted an early retirement package. The family then decided to invest part of the money in a business while giving Ernie something to keep him preoccupied.“Dad is an engineer so he created racks and holders that helped strategically display our products. Mom is an accountant so we are able to handle the financial aspect pretty well. As for my part, I had the determination to make the business grow and so together we made it,” says Eva. Today they run a tiangge stall in the Good Shepherd Bazaar in Paranaque and join seasonal bazaar fairs in communities, which bring the family enough income to live comfortably.

The word ‘bazaar’ was coined from a Pahlavi word baha-char, which means ‘place of prices’.

In the West, it is used to refer to a market or a cluster of stores, which sells assorted items, often to raise funds for charity. In the Philippines, a bazaar is a shopping plaza with stalls lined up in rows selling various products at low prices, a haven for the budget conscious public where haggling is the order of the day.

Locally, bazaars also go by the more popular Filipino term ‘tiangge ’ which is derived from Minnan or Hokkien Chinese, an influence of early migrants who set up street stalls in clusters.

Although small in scale, tiangges have increasingly shown strong business presence in the Philippines. They have become profitable business ventures especially during Christmas season when people have the propensity to spend. All throughout the year however, tiangge stalls and bazaar fairs can also be found around the country offering not just seasonal or short-term business, but also provide an opportunity for the longterm sales. In fact, the bazaar fever has gone so high that even big shopping malls are feeling the brunt with more and more people flocking to tiangges for bargains. A 2005 report by the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) states that sales in malls have dropped 19% with the burgeoning number of tiangge stalls. To ease the negative effects, malls have allocated permanent spots for bazaars within their shopping complexes.

A bazaar business may be a good opportunity to test the waters before you think of opening shop in a mall. Owning a tiangge stall gets you instant market exposure with minimal cash outlay for expenses such as booth rental and cost of inventory. You won’t have to maintain a booth for a long period of time or bind yourself in prolonged leasehold agreements.

In the Philippines, contracts are usually drawn and may be renewed on a monthly basis. You may close shop after a few months if sales

prove to be sluggish, then resume business during peak season or extend your contract indefinitely should you find it profitable. Fixed stalls or stores found in malls usually bind parties on a longer term therefore barriers to exit are higher.

Products sold in bazaars can be just about anything you could think of from clothing, shoes, stationery, stickers, wallets, pens, umbrellas, kitchen utensils, gardening tools, toys, food such as breads, cakes, candies, sandwich spreads, sauces and gourmet delicacies. The tiangge also provides you the chance to sell your own unique products.

Once you have the necessary capital to start the business, you need to scout for a location with high foot traffic. Interested concessionaires contemplating on putting up their own tiangge stall may look for available space in some of the well-known bazaar centers around the country. Most popular is the Divisoria Mall, which is tagged as the heart of value shopping in the country.

In recent years, the 168 Mall also in Manila has opened its doors for tiangge entrepreneurs whose trade practices closely resemble that of Divisoria.

Real estate developer Ortigas & Co. Limited Partnership which has been in the bazaar

KABUHAYAN

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Money, Assets and Investing

business for almost 30 years is responsible for the development of the GSC (Greenhills Shopping Center), a commercial complex which houses both fixed stalls and tiangge stalls. The GSC was once associated with wealthy shoppers but over time evolved into one of the biggest flea markets in the country catering to both the rich and the modest. The GSC is best known for stalls selling brand new and second-hand electronic gadgets such as mobile phones. Around the corner of Ortigas Avenue and C-5 lies Tiendesitas en Frontera Verde another development by Ortigas & Co. The company envisions Tiendesitas to be the local equivalent of the Chatuchak Market in Thailand. It houses around 1,500 stalls spread over 30,000 sq. m. of space.

In the heart of Pasig lies the reopened St. Francis Square, a home to more than a thousand tiangge stalls in six fully air-conditioned levels.

Its prices are competitive enough, although a bit steeper than Divisoria’s. Another attractive location is Market! Market! in Taguig, situated on a 9.7 hectare property within the Bonifacio Global City complex. This five-level shopping mall accommodates both fixed stalls and tiangge spaces.

Rental rates vary depending on the location and some rates can be quite steep for

business starters. A standard 1.5m x 1.5m space usually costs PHP60,000 to PHP80,000 in long established locations such as the GSC. Market! Market! pegs its rates approximately at PHP36,000 while St. Francis Square collects PHP11,500 to PHP15,500 for every standard sized stall. Rates are almost cut by half for a space at the Divisoria Mall or 168 Mall. Stalls near entrances are also higher compared to those situated in succeeding rows. If your funds are limited, you can share space with other bazaar concessionaires to save on costs.

You may also join bazaar fairs held in villages and neighborhoods where rental rates are even lower and advertize your products without spending an arm and leg.

Publicity can be done via the Internet or through your mobile phone. “I normally sell my bags through word-of-mouth and by asking family and friends to forward my emails and text messages,” said Janis Bauto who joins the annual bazaar fairs in Valle Verde in Ortigas and Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa.

If you’re still in the dark about whether to join a bazaar and put up your first tiangge stall just remember that help is available. You may want to check out neighborhood bazaar schedules held in villages and get hold of bazaar and

event organizers’ contact information there.

Online directories and consumer forums such as EYP and blogsites like kikay.exchange.ph, shopcrazy.com.ph are also perfect venues for posting questions, asking for tips, and getting advice on joining bazaars from experienced concessionaires.

KABUHAYAN INVESTING

Money, Assets and Investing

Insuring your Future

By Ben Parco

Rich OFW, Poor OFW

In a recent dynamic business meeting I have attended in Dubai, I have realized that there is so much we can do as OFWs to generate business together just by connecting positively with one another. I also had a chance to listen to a speaker who recounted an incident in the US, wherein a foreigner friend made a provocative observation on the poor financial state of a lot of Filipinos around the world.

Looking at the apparently lavish lifestyle of a lot of US based Filipinos – with their flashy cars, latest top-of-the-range gadgets designer clothes and shoes, and other luxuries, but with a lack of real assets and healthy bank accounts, the foreigner concluded that “there are still a lot of poor Filipinos in the world because they live rich.” Of course, the Filipino speaker said that this is not so, assuring his friend that Pinoys abroad are in fact hardworking, frugal, and very serious about securing their financial future.

I agree with the speaker and promised myself to learn more about OFWs in emirates to validate our beliefs and make my own conclusion, but at the same time provide financial information to kababayans who simply need financial guidance to assure they live a well-balanced life. This column is designed to do just that.

The 60-20-20 Formula One important formula that will help you manage your finances in a healthy manner is known as the ‘60-20-20 Formula’. It is a very simple method of allocating monthly income to make sure that we enjoy our life today, have cash available for emergencies, and prepare ourselves for future financial needs such as sending children to college, establishing our own business, or living a comfortable retirement.

How Does It Work?

For example, if you are earning DHS10,000 per month, you have to condition yourself and your family that you are actually earning only DHS 6,000. It means that you have to live within this budget. You should deposit DHS 2,000 in your bank account without fail to make sure you have easy access to this fund in cases of emergencies that require immediate cash. The remaining DHS 2,000 should be placed in a locked-in medium to long term regular savings plan to guarantee money for children’s education and your retirement or even if you are planning to set up your own business to make you busy at retirement.

This is how the ‘60-20-20 Formula’ works but you may also vary the percentages slightly to suit your changing circumstances.

Two Major Options Now that we have established an amount that we can regularly set aside and locked-in for our medium to long term financial needs, the next question is - where will you invest this money? There are two major options that I always advise people to seriously consider. One is Mutual Funds and the other is Unit-Linked Insurance Policies. At first glance, these two investment instruments look similar. Let us take a closer look and examine the difference.

What is a Mutual Fund?

A Mutual Fund is a pool of money run by a professional or group of professionals called the Investment Adviser. In a managed Mutual Fund, after investigating the profiles of many companies, the Fund’s Investment Adviser will pick the stocks or bonds of companies and put them into a fund. Investors can buy shares of the fund, and their shares rise or fall in value according to the performance of the stocks and bonds in the fund.

Investors usually pay a fee when they buy or sell their shares in the fund, and those fees, in part, pay the salaries and expenses of the Investment Adviser who manage the Fund.

What is a Unit-Linked Insurance Policy?

On the other hand, Unit-Linked Insurance Policies as an investment instrument are closest to Mutual Funds in terms of their structure and functioning. As is the case with Mutual Funds, investors are allocated units by the insurance company and a Fund Value is declared for the same on a daily basis.

In the same way, investors in these policies have the option of investing across various schemes similar to the ones found in the

KABUHAYAN INVESTING

Money, Assets and Investing

Mutual Funds domain such as cash, diversified equity funds, balanced funds and bond funds. Generally speaking these policies can be termed as Mutual Fund schemes with an insurance component.

The Difference We should not get the wrong impression, however, that except for the insurance element there is nothing differentiating between Mutual Funds and Unit-Linked Insurance Policies. Inspite of the seemingly comparable structures, there are various factors wherein the two differ. Here are some of them Mode and Amounts of Investments Mutual Fund investors have the option of either making lump sum investments or investing using the regular savings plan, which may bring about commitments over longer time periods. The Mutual Fund company lays out the minimum investment amounts.

Investors of Unit-Linked Insurance Policies also have the choice of investing in a lump sum or using the conventional method such as making premium payments on an annual, half-yearly, quarterly or monthly basis. In Unit-Linked Insurance Policies, determining the premium paid is frequently the starting point for the investment activity.

This is in stark contrast to traditional insurance plans where the sum assured is normally the starting point and premiums to be paid are determined thereafter.

Investors of Unit-Linked Insurance Policies also have the flexibility to revise the premium amounts during the policy’s tenure. For example an individual with access to extra funds can increase the premiums thereby ensuring that his extra funds are profitably invested. On the contrary an individual faced with liquidity problems has the option of decreasing his premiums to a lower amount. The freedom to modify premium payments at one’s convenience clearly gives Unit-Linked Insurance Policies an edge over their Mutual Fund counterparts.

Fund Charges and Fees In Mutual Fund investments, expenses charged for various activities like fund management, sales and marketing, administration among others are clearly spelled out from the outset. For example equityoriented funds may charge their investors a maximum of 2.5% per annum on a recurring basis for all their expenses; any expense above the permissible limit is borne by the Mutual Fund company and not the investors.

Correspondingly funds also charge their investors entry and exit loads. Entry loads are charged at the time of buying an investment while the exit load is charged at the time of selling.

Insurance companies have a free hand in levying expenses on their Unit-Linked Insurance Policies. The good news is that the expense charges of Unit-Linked Insurance Policies are now thoroughly explained to investors before they make a decision to buy.

Expenses can have far-reaching consequences on investors since higher expenses translate into lower amounts being invested and a smaller amount being accumulated.

Which Is Better?

Despite the seemingly similar structures it is obvious that both Mutual Funds and Unit-Linked Insurance Policies have their own unique set of advantages to offer. As always, it is vital for investors to be aware of the peculiarities in both offerings and make informed decisions.

Perhaps even more importantly, whatever you believe is better between the two, go ahead and start saving and investing NOW! Procrastination is the thief of our tomorrows and will definitely have a negative impact on the amazing power of compound interest.

Till next time.

KABUHAYAN BUSINESS NETWORKING

Money, Assets and Investing

Illustrado’s Kabuhayan Syndicate In-keeping with Illustrado’s aspirations to facilitate productive exchange within the local Filipino community, the company has created Kabuhayan Syndicate - an informal and open movement of Pinoys who want to do business ‘bayanihan’ style.

The Kabuhayan Syndicate goes beyond community social gatherings as it aims to be a dynamic yet flexible platform for Filipinos who want to pursue business actively within the community. The movement’s premise is simple – the Filipino community in itself is a veritable market for business exchange, with so many established and budding entrepreneurs, as well as professionals representing various fields. If we earnestly provide each other the opportunity – we all stand to gain from one another.

Join us! If you’re a Pinoy entrepreneur or professional looking to do business with other Filipinos, and agree to Kabuhayan Syndicate’s principles, e-mail us at – editor@illustrado.net

To ensure the effectiveness of the movement’s endeavor, members are required to adhere to the following principles - active interest in pursuing business, an earnest willingness to provide opportunity to fellow Filipinos based on competency of offering, as well as professionalism and fair competition.

Kabuhayan Syndicate’s first meeting was held on the 21st of September at the Majestic Hotel in Bur Dubai. About 30 participants, representing 12 different business fields – from advertising to logistics, real estate to financial services, art, trading, production, as well as publishing, among others, from big to small-scale ventures, attended the dynamic business networking session. Sixty-five percent of the attendees were entrepreneurs, while the rest were professionals who are also seeking business opportunities.

The two-hour session, provided an opportunity for each attendee to make positive contact with everybody, and with the true spirit of bayanihan, resulted into some exciting business deals, leads and potential partnership agreements.

Kabuhayan Syndicate members are looking forward to another exciting and potentially productive exercise in early November, as the movement expects a larger and even more enthusiastic participation from other Pinoy business prospectors.

Watch this space!

The active biz-networking session during Kabuhayan Syndicate’s first meeting.

If you tell me, I forget.

If you show me, I remember.

If you let me do it, I understand...

SUCCESSFUL PINOY

By Jeffrey Ximo Ramos

In another motivational excerpt from his book, ‘I Know What To DO! Pinoy Success Handbook’, Dubai-based author Jeffrey ‘Ximo’ Ramos, reveals to fellow Filipinos that success can be achieved without compromising our traditions and cultural heritage.

Redeeming Your Culture to Success perceptions when it comes to the idea of paying back and showing gratitude. A lot of us have been confused and corrupted by being bound to utang and utang na loob.

But the good news is that you can free yourself from this bondage.

Kaya mag bayad ng tama at mangolekta ng tama. Honor your financial commitments - pay interest (if any). Isipin mo na ‘tulong’ ang iyong natanggap noong ikaw ay nangailangan, kaya kung sa oras ng bayaran, kailangan mo ring gampanan.

Photography by : Ximagination • Agency: Dreamstime.com

Sa mga may utang na loob naman, ikaw ay kailangang tumanaw. You need to give thanks and acknowledgement to those who helped you - that is all. Pressuring yourself to do something against your will, your capabilities, and worst against the law or ethics, is not worth the help you got from the other person.

Somewhere in the Pinoy value system, we have a set of cultural beliefs ingrained in us through the ages, which really do not serve us well. Some of these attitudes are the same reason why some of us are stuck in poverty, shame and corrupted lives. Bakit kamo? Because they are used as an excuse - “nakasanayan na eh”, some would say. What most of our kababayans do not know, however, is that the same ‘limiting’ beliefs pull us down from reaching our goals I will not enumerate these quirks, because it is just a waste of time. Instead, let me introduce you to some powerful cultural traits that you can redeem to make yourself successful.

Ang utang binabayaran, ang utang na loob tinatanaw Many have been held captive by wrong

For those who want to help or do favors for others in the name of ‘pagmamagandang loob’, do not expect anything in return, especially money. Real help should come voluntarily without any expectation – hindi humihingi ng kapalit. But if you want to have something in return, be clear and lay down the cards. This way, the person you are ‘helping’ knows that this is not utang na loob but plain and simple – ‘utang’.

For those who genuinely helped, huwag magtampo sa inyong tinulungan kung wala silang binabalik sa inyo, dahil ang inyong kabutihan ay babalik rin sa ibang paraan. You will be surprised how your generosity will somehow come back to you!

Filipino time is exact time Filipino time is ‘exact time’, anywhere, anytime.

The idea of time is a much-abused concept with a lot of Pinoys. Imagine this - whenever we plan to meet somebody, we set a specific time and place. We prepare and adjust our schedule and make an effort to go to the place ahead of time, just so we will be there on time. And then, the one who has set the appointment will text you, “sorry, male-late lang ako…”

Kapwa ko Pinoy. This is tantamount to robbing the other person of his money.

Because you must remember that time is money, time is service, time is worship, time can even be devoted to your relaxation. So, pahalagahan ang oras ng iba. Be on time.

And if the person you are supposed to meet is late for 20-30 minutes, without a ‘valid excuse’ – you have the right to leave.

Adjust your time to the exact time. It is time to set your time to ‘real’ Filipino time.

Money is the root… of all philanthropic deeds “Money is the root of all evil.” This misconception can be traced to the old times when the friars taught the ‘indio Filipinos’ that if they are rich they couldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven. Mali, di ba?

Hindi pera ang pumapatay; hindi pera ang nananakit; hindi pera ang nangingitil ng kaligayahan ng iba; at hindi pera ang kumakain ng kabutihang asal ng may ari nito.

Ang taong hindi marunong humawak ng pera ang gumagawa ng masama.

This is where the new and progressive Pinoy culture will come to play. Dahil pera ang ugat ng kawanggawa at mabubuting gawain para sa kapwa. From now on, think about why you are working to enrich yourself. Money is a great friend; a good servant, because of its capacity to provide for the basic needs of those who are less fortunate, whether that may be food, clothing, accommodation or education.

Just think. If you had the money and you used your wealth for the benefit of what is right and good - hindi ba napaka-rami mong mailalapit muli sa paniniwala na may pag-asa at hindi sila napabayaan?

In our exposure to the rest of the world, particularly to western ideas, according to which, a lot of us define achievement, it is great to know that we Filipinos can look inside our traditional beliefs, and apply wise interpretation to bring us closer to our goals. It’s time for us to redeem our culture to success.

Located In Satwa Near Iranian Hospital

All your favorite Filipino products and more...

44 ARTS & CULTURE

By Ivan Henares • Photography by George Tapan courtesy of DOT

Churches in the Philippines

A

A National Cultural Treasure

lmost every town in the Philippines has at least one church built during the Spanish colonial period, all of which are inherent parts of the architectural heritage of Filipinos and stand as testaments to the excellence and creativity of Filipino artisans and craftsmen of yesteryears who labored to create these works of art.

Being the only Roman Catholic country in Asia, our old churches form an important part of Filipino cultural heritage. These cultural properties transcend generations and have an inherent potential to become symbolic and fervent unifying symbols that would guide the Filipino nation in its search for an enduring national identity. Several of them have in fact been declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites and by the Philippine Government as National Cultural Treasures.

Baroque Churches of the Philippines In 1994, UNESCO recognized the universal value to humanity of four centuries-old Augustinian churches and included them in the prestigious World Heritage List under the name Baroque Churches of the Philippines. According to UNESCO, “their unique architectural style is a reinterpretation of European Baroque by Chinese and Philippine craftsmen,” a style which has been aptly referred to as Philippine Baroque. These churches are the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila; and the churches of Paoay, Ilocos Norte; Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur; and Miag-ao, Iloilo.

The only church in Intramuros left standing after the Second World War, San Agustin Church is a splendid example of Philippine Baroque with its trompe l’oeil murals. The San Agustin Museum houses some of the best examples of Philippine church treasures.

Paoay in Ilocos Norte is a fortress-like church, so unique in the country since its heavy set buttresses and finials give the church a silhouette similar to Asian temples. It is also considered by art critics as the pinnacle of what many scholars term as ‘earthquake Baroque’. Santa Maria is a massive brick church perched on hill. It is flanked by massive buttresses with a pair of circular buttresses integrated in its façade. The red brick façade is quite simple, ornamented only by three openings and blind niche above the main entrance.

The Vigan Cathedral can also be considered a UNESCO-declared structure being among the more important elements of the inscription of Vigan in the UNESCO list in 1999. The church dominates Plaza Salcedo from where the straight and narrow streets of Vigan’s mestizo district emanate from, forming the grid iron pattern of the old colonial town.

More heritage churches Several churches in the country have been designated as National Cultural Treasure, which is defined as “a unique object found locally, possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is significant and important to this country

ARTS & CULTURE 45

and nation.” It is the highest designation given to a cultural object.

Among these is the church in Tumauini in Isabela which Benito Legarda calls the ‘Jewel of the Valley’ because of its exquisite brick ornamentation which makes the façade among the most striking and interesting in the country. The church of Betis in Guagua, Pampanga, nicknamed the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Philippines’ because of the immense explosion of color inside brought about by its exquisite wall and ceiling murals.

Basilica Minore de San Sebastian When we say Quiapo, the first things that come to mind are images of the Black Nazarene, the multitude of people who join the annual 9th of January processions, and the Basilica Minore of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church) with the myriad of hawkers and stalls, herbal medicine and anting-anting vendors and fortune tellers abundant in adjacent Plaza Miranda. But unknown to many, Quiapo is home to an even rarer gem, another basilica minore in fact in Plaza del Carmen. This is the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, the first all-steel church in the Philippines and in Asia, and the second in the world.

The structure was prefabricated in Belgium, dismantled and shipped back to the

Philippines. It was said that after three earthquakes that leveled the earlier San Sebastian churches, the Recollects decided to use an unconventional material to build an earthquake proof church. This explains why the structure is entirely made of steel.

But nothing is decay-free and we all know that the biggest enemy of steel is iron oxide, more commonly known as rust.

This is why the World Monuments Fund (WMF) included the structure in the List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in 1998. Inclusion in the World Monuments Watch entitles the structure to grants for restoration. It’s sad that the custodians of the church rejected the $25,000 grant given by the WMF. As a result, the Philippines had to do the embarrassing act of returning the $25,000 to the WMF! Heritage Appreciation 101 for the clergy This episode is an example of the lack of appreciation for heritage rampant in the Philippine Catholic Church. Sadly, heritage churches have become victims of over-zealous priests who erase centuries of work in a matter of days. Some have taken it upon themselves to modernize and renovate heritage churches without proper consultation with conservationists or representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage, causing irreversible damage to our national treasures.

There was the issue of McDonald’s prominently positioning their golden arches on the grounds of the Balayan Church in Batangas, one of the twenty-six churches declared by the National Museum in 2001 as National Cultural Treasures.

Grandiose polychrome church retablos (altars) in the towns of Argao, Cebu; Tanay, Rizal; and Orion, Bataan were tastelessly painted gold!

On Tanay, Architect Manolo Noche writes, “Recent tasteless re-gilding of the main retablo has resulted in the pieces being swathed in a sea of glittering gold, so that they seem to have lost much of their old elegance and appeal.” He adds for Orion that, “the ‘Midas touch’ has defiled the piece, so that it has lost much of its historic patina which used to give it character and appeal.”

46 ARTS & CULTURE

On Argao, heritage conservationist Bambi Harper writes, “Bishop Jose C. Sorra (of Albay) gave an impassioned and stirring address (on church heritage) that the Cebu Cardinal should have heard so that the parish priest of Argao, guilty of erasing 200 years of history, could be exiled to Burias or perhaps to the Marianas, which unfortunately doesn’t belong to us anymore.�

There have been calls for the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to put its foot down on this wanton disregard, and at times, outright desecration of the cultural heritage of the Church.

The CBCP should protect the cultural heritage of the Philippine Catholic Church from further damage by ordering the immediate stop to all ongoing and proposed renovations to heritage churches that have not been approved by the CBCP Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church or reviewed by representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage.

In the end, if we are to preserve these churches for future generations of Filipinos to see, we must be vigilant in preserving them and educating those who do not realize the importance these churches to the Filipino cultural identity.

ARTS & CULTURE 47 Churches designated as National Cultural Treasures

FROM OUR READERS

Illustrado reader Edwin Lasquite shares with us his city’s most revered feature - the biggest cathedral in the Mindanao region, as well as what proud Tagumeños hope will earn them pride of place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

In Southern Mindanao in the city of Tagum, just 55 kilometers north of Metropolitan Davao, in Davao del Norte, stands the pride and joy of many a Tagumeños - the Christ the King Cathedral is known as the biggest in the Mindanao Region. Designed like a castle, it stands in two hectares and took 12 years to build. The church was created to celebrate the silver jubilee of the diocese.

Apart from its sheer size and distinctive

design the cathedral also features a fountain commemorating the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish, as well as several solemn altars, including a four storey building within the complex which houses a chapel, tabernacle, rectory and a multi-purpose hall. Within the church are skillfully made statues, among which are the artistic works of Luis A-ac of Paete, Laguna. The same artist also sculpted the cross for the Jubilee Year Celebration in

Saints Peter and Paul Church (Calasiao, Pangasinan) San Agustin Church (Paoay, Ilocos Norte) San Andres Apostol Church (Bacarra, Ilocos Norte) San Guillermo de Aquitania Church (Magsingal, Ilocos Sur) Santa Catalina De Alejandria Church (Luna, La Union) San Carlos Borromeo Church (Mahatao, Batanes) San Matias Church (Tumauini, Isabela) San Raymundo de Peñafort Church (Rizal, Cagayan) San Vicente Ferrer Church (Dupax, Nueva Viscaya) Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church (Tayum, Abra) San Andres Church (Masinloc, Zambales) Santiago Apostol Church (Betis, Guagua, Pampanga) San Agustin Church (Intramuros, Manila) Sta. Ana Site Museum (Sta. Ana, Manila) Basilica of St. Michael (Tayabas, Quezon) Immaculate Conception Church (Balayan, Batangas) Our Lady of Assumption Church (Maragondon, Cavite) San Gregorio Magno Church (Majayjay, Laguna) San Ildefonso Church (Tanay, Rizal) Cathedral of San Jose (Romblon, Romblon) San Juan Bautista Church (Tabaco City, Albay) San Joaquin Church (San Joaquin, Iloilo) Santa Monica Church (Pan-ay, Capiz) Patrocinio de Sta. Maria Church (Boljoon, Cebu) San Agustin Church (Bacong, Negros Oriental) San Isidro Labrador Church (Lazi, Siquijor) San Pedro Apostol Church (Loboc, Bohol) Immaculate Conception Church (Guiuan, Samar) Immaculate Conception Church (Jasaan, Misamis Oriental) San Juan Bautista Church (Jimenez, Misamis Occidental) Manila in 2000, as well as the statue of the Holy Family used during the World Meeting of Families, in the Philippines.

Within the chapel grounds is a marvel which Tagumeños hope would secure them a place in the Guinness Book of World records. Having an amazing length of 85.5 meters, and weighing 2,815 kilos, the Christ the King rosary made from magcomo (iron wood), indigenous to the mountains of Davao Oriental and Surigao, is slated to be the world’s biggest. The rosary is a project of the Knights of Columbus Christ the King Assembly, and just like the cathedral was made in time for the 25th anniversary of the diocese in 2005.

On record, the world’s largest rosary made of polished coconuts and measuring 35 meters, is held in a school in Brazil. Next to that is the rosary of the School of St. Joseph in Cairo, which is 52.9 meters long and is made of over a million balls of styrofoam strung together.

All in all the Christ the King Cathedral and its record-breaking rosary, do not only serve as the local people’s claim to fame. Even more significantly, the two have come to symbolize the exemplary spirituality and sense of community of the proud and faithful Tagumeños, that will endure the test of time.

VIEWS AND ISSUES OF THE INTERNATIONAL FILIPINOS

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY POOR FILIPINOS ABROAD?

B

ack in 2003 when I was about to end my tour of duty as Consul at the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, I vividly remember having a conversation with an American who was happily married to a Filipina for over two decades. He asked me, “do you know why there are so many poor Filipinos abroad”? My initial reaction was of shock, defiance and denial.

I quickly refuted his observation, saying that Filipinos are known for their discipline, hard work, tenacity and positive work attitude. I added that “over eight million documented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), or roughly ten percent of our population, are employed abroad. They remit billions of dollars back home, supporting their families and re-invigorating our economy. Why would you say that?”

He gave me a smile and replied, “please don’t get me wrong. I love my wife very much. I respect the Filipino people. Most of my friends are Filipinos.

Unfortunately, I observed a disturbing trait with those I’ve worked with the past fifteen years. He continued, “all of them earn many times over our combined income but they remain heavily indebted. I think the reason why there are so many poor Filipinos abroad is because so many of them act rich”.

Judging a book by its cover Many of us are guilty of the proverbial saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. When we meet people for the first time, we quickly observe, from head to toe, if they are wearing designer outfits. Oftentimes, we glance at their cell phone to see if it is the latest model, or peek at their wristwatch to determine its make. In many formal gatherings back home, I met socialites who I fondly described as ‘walking billboards’, wearing jewelries and different designer items in every part of their body.

We are a brand conscious people. We tend to judge people for what they wear, instead of who they are. To be part of the ‘in crowd’, we have to wear the latest fashion or face the possibility of being left out. This belief, however, does more harm than good. Sustaining a life of extravagance has destroyed many a man’s life, even if he comes from the wealthiest of families.

Lucio Tan, one of the wealthiest men in the Philippines, would attend functions wearing a simple barong, dark pants and comfortable shoes.

Other guests, in their brand new Armani suits, would still look at him with awe, admiration and respect.

I encourage our kababayans to patronize Philippine products. These are a lot cheaper than brand name items and are often at par in terms of quality and style (I have a few pairs of shoes made in Marikina that are more comfortable, durable and stylish than Florsheim, Bass and Ferregamo!).

By Adelio Cruz

The Quagmire of Financial freedom Earning your first paycheck abroad may be the most fulfilling and rewarding point in your new career. You would immediately set aside a considerable percentage of your income to treat yourself by buying that expensive cell phone, wristwatch or brand name shoes; or treat your friends for a night out to relax or unwind. After all, you deserved it. In the following years as an expat, you become overwhelmed with expensive things, living a life of panache and comfort.

I always remind our kababayans “not to live like kings and queens abroad”.

Eventually, they will return and finally retire back home. Reality strikes hard. They regret not saving enough after many years of hard work. They try to sell the expensive items they bought but could not get a good price because its value has depreciated. They go through a couple of major surgeries or medical emergencies and are financially wiped out.

The Savings Equation – Planning for the Future We were taught a simple savings equation: Income less Expense = Savings. I recommend a more prudent equation: Income less Savings = Expense. This would obligate them to strictly set aside a specific amount every month. They then spend what’s left from their income, living within their means. I also advise them to consult with financial analysts who could guide them in further investing their hard earned money.

As the years pass, they can easily calculate the accumulated savings for their retirement. They may even consider opening up a business in the Philippines. A few weeks ago, I met a Filipina earning DHS 700 (or roughly PHP 8,750.00) a month. After years of working as a domestic worker, her two children will soon graduate with degrees in Nursing and Engineering.

A number of people apply a perilous equation, Expense less Savings = Utang. Others use their passports as collateral for abusive loans. This lifestyle, if not immediately addressed, often leads to inability to payoff the loan, jail term, unemployment, deportation, lifetime ban and ultimately family break-up.

Practice what we Preach We all want the best for our children. As parents, we try to give them a life ‘better’ than our own. Admirable as it may sound, this belief may actually do more harm than good for them.

Since my sixteenth birthday and every year thereafter, I asked my parents for a car. They could have easily given me a brand new vehicle, but they always declined and said, “in due time”. I felt left out from my friends and had to endure commuting all through out my college and post college life. My Dad, however, would often lend me his car whenever I requested.

I finally purchased a second-hand vehicle when I landed my first job. I had to save hard for it, and learned to value every single peso I earned.

The Value of Education When we were young, our parents would always remind us to “study hard so when you finish college, you’ll find a secure, high paying job”.

Unfortunately, this advice is not enough to prepare us for what truly lies ahead in life. Through out the minimum sixteen years of our education, we may have finished with a respectable degree, developed the necessary academic skills and acquired solid work ethics to land a good job. Most of us however, were not taught a vital skill that would ensure our future – managing our financial resources.

Today, having children of my own, I am eternally grateful to my parents for not only giving me a good education, but for teaching me the values of decency, humility, and frugality as well.

Let us be wary of spoiling our children. Do not give them a life of pseudoluxury and deprive them of an important lesson in life – learning to save for their own future.

To my fellow kababayans still heavily in debt abroad, there is still hope.

You can still change your ‘savings equation’ and start shaving off those loans. Every dirham counts. After all, it’s not how much you earn, but how much you save.

50 FROM OUR READERS

‘Proud to be Pinoy’

Kids

From left to right: James Bygrave, Angela Rivera, Marie Chantal Marauta and Josh Dillon White

I

Unlike many Filipinos who have grown up in the region immersed in the mixed-culture environment, our contributing young readers did not only experience the diversity outside their homes, but actually lived the curiously different life of mixed nationality kids. They are third culture kids with parents from different countries, living the life of an expat in the emirates.

nterestingly enough, having a Filipino mom, it seems, almost always ensures that traditions and values from our homeland are never forgotten and, are in fact, nurtured in these kids lives. Recent International Day celebrations in various schools around the emirates proved just that. A great example is in the Jumeirah Primary School, a British-managed school in Dubai that boasts a significant mix of various nationalities, where three such kids, including their pure Filipino friend, enthusiastically flew the Philippine flag to show how proud they were to be Pinoy. Considering that they were such a small minority, it was a great effort on their part.

Exposed to so many different cultures and countries, these kids have come to value and appreciate the richness of our country, our talents, love for family and innate friendly nature. Here’s what our young readers had to say –

The Philippines is a country of mixed cultures and wonderful people. Filipinos have loads of talents, great traditions, foods, and amazing history, that is why I love singing to one of my favorite songs which goes - “maganda ang Pilipinas… ang galing ng Filipino!”

Well, what can I say? Being a Filipina is something that I am proud of!

Marie Chantal Marauta 10 years old, Filipino-Italian What I like about Philippines is my nanay’s cooking, the beautiful countryside and magnificent beaches like Boracay that I’m going to visit this pasko! I especially can’t wait to see the unique tricycle and jeepney. I also like the man who comes to every house in the morning shouting for “taho!”

But most of all, what I like about being Filipino is the friendly, happy people like my mummy, who always manage to find a reason to organize a party.

Josh Dillon White 10 years old, Filipino-British

I like being Filipino because Filipinos make very good music and dance. I also like my Filipino side because I have many titos, titas and cousins and when we get together its really fun. There’s always a lot to eat and everybody is always talking and laughing.

Sometimes its noisy - but we have fun. The Filipinos in Dubai are very kind and they are always nice to me.

James Bygrave 10 years old, Filipino-British I like Filipino snacks and sceneries. But most of all Filipinos are really kind and they’re always smiling. I like being a Filipino because Filipinos are not discouraged by what’s around them - they just have fun, no matter what. Every year, at the International Day celebration in our school, we perform Filipino folk songs and dances. I want to show my schoolmates that we have talent.

Being a Filipino is cool!

Angela Rivera 10 years old, Pure Pinoy

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52 BAKASYON GRANDE Calumpit River

Bulacan I think it was T.S. Eliot who wrote, “And the end of all of our journeys is to return to where we started to the place for the first time.” The same metaphysical musings filled my mind as I rode a bus bound for good old Bulacan, the province of my origins. I had just come from Hangzhou, China where I spent some time teaching English to students of Zhejiang Gongshang University

By Edilberto C. Cruz Photos courtesy of Bulacan government on-line

I

t was autumn when I left Hangzhou, and the blast of humid air as I came out of the NAIA felt like expired aftershave on my skin. But I endured that sticky welcome and the ride through the noisy and harried rush of men and machines on Manila streets. I knew that in an hour or so, with the traffic mercifully easing up as I neared the NLEX exit, I would soon enjoy a cool breezy journey through verdant rice fields.

competed for its land and those of adjoining towns, turning once picturesque rice fields into dull subdivisions. There was a long interregnum after that, but there are signs again of a resurgent real estate business.

And sure enough, after going through the tollgate with its smiling teller, my bus rolled smoothly on past the Malinta exit already crawling with cargo trucks, onto Meycauayan and Marilao and into the heart of Bulacan.

But I chose a nearer spot to regain my provincial bearings. The Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, popularly known as Barasoain Church, was a mere three minutes away on a stainless Karatig jeepney. Arriving there, I saw the old church still standing dignified.

Once past the flowerbeds and ornamental Its image may be slowly fading from the plants, I entered historic and (after a couple of plebiscites) newly minted city of Malolos. A national consciousness after the Central Bank steel flyover now spans the familiar Crossing. started pulling out the brown ten-peso bill From there, you can practically go to anyplace from circulation, but its distinctive façade will forever be etched in my mind. in Bulacan. There are jeepneys to the coastal towns of Paombong, famous for its nipa palm

The lush commercial gardens of Guiguinto greeted me moments after I went through the Tabang exit. This town used to be a sleepy affair in the old days. Then came the real estate boom of the nineties and both big name and homegrown developers

The influx of new residents from both south and north of its borders was a mixed blessing for the province. On the bright side, infrastructure development soared and real estate taxes collection went up. On the more challenging side was the increased pressure on the once ample land and water resources of the province. But like they say, something’s lost when something’s gained and I would like to believe that the province’s newly elected officials are crafting sensible policies towards sustainable development.

vinegar, and Hagonoy, the invitations to whose seafood fiestas of crabs and prawns are the most coveted in town.

There are jeepneys going west to Pulilan, home of the Carabao Festival held in honor of San Isidro Labrador, Plaridel of the horse parade fame done in honor of St. James the Apostle, and aristocratic Baliuag, with its spectacular Lenten procession of life-sized religious images. To the North is Calumpit, site of the St. John the Baptist Church, the oldest in the province.

BAKASYON GRANDE 53 Barasoain Church

Still visible are the signs of the multi-million peso face-lift it underwent for the 1998 Estrada oath taking.

The courtyard was recently raised a few inches due to persistent flooding, the perennial affliction of Malolos.

The adjacent museum is still open. Actually, the whole place is seldom empty especially during the field trip season when busloads of students tour the site for a firsthand view of history.

A few minutes walk from the church is Casa Real, the old Spanish administrative building, a stone’s throw away from its modern counterpart, the Malolos City Hall. The town proper itself is a textbook example of colonial urban planning. Across the City Hall is the Basilica Minore de Immaculada Concepcion with its lofty statue of the Virgin atop the stout belfry. Inside the church patio is the century-old Kalayaan Tree planted by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo when he was in town for the historic Malolos convention. The trunk is now gnarled but its leafy branches still spread proud and wide.

Ensaymada

Modern fastfood establishments surround the old town square. You can have your choice of Chowking, MacDonalds and Jollibee. But the true Malolos native will always have soft spot for Mabuhay Restaurant of the Meneses clan. Tucked away in a narrow street a block away from the Basilica, it still draws loyal customers to its incomparable pancit and fried chicken.

Not very far is Santa Isabel Church, with the understated elegance of the certifiably old. The street where it is located winds through quiet back streets serving as alternate route to and from the town for those who want to avoid the busy Crossing. It is still a peaceful area even with tricycles plying the route now and then.

Carabao festival-Pulilan

54 BAKASYON GRANDE

Beside the tree-shaded church patio is Citang’s, a nondescript roadside eatery where you can have a hearty but inexpensive lunch or snack. It is better known for its scrumptious kakanin of suman, puto, and tamales which have made it a mandatory pit stop for those going back to Manila and who need bring some pasalubong - not the fancily wrapped ones but the homemade, fresh from the kitchen type carefully wrapped in banana leaves or laid in winnowing baskets of varied sizes.

It is these little nooks that are worth discovering and re-discovering. Eliot hit the nail right on the head when he penned those lines. You appreciate better what you have after you have been away from it from some time. It’s true with relationships, with food, and with the places you’ve lived in and thought you knew like the back of your hand.

An old bahay na bato in Bulacan

Edilberto C. Cruz, textbook author and freelance writer, spent more than a decade teaching in San Beda and Ateneo. He has since gone back to his roots in Bulacan where he now teaches Language and Literature at the University of Regina Carmeli just beside historic Barasoain Church.

CELEBRATING PINOY CHARM

Statuesque Stunner Sheila Teodoro

FACE OF THE MONTH 55

Laguna native, turned Dubairesident Sheila Teodoro is the quintessential Asian beauty.

Standing exceptionally tall for a Filipina at 5’11”, this statuesque stunner with golden skin and petite proportions was scouted for modeling during her teens. She was one of the first batches of talents signed-up by prestigious Manila-based modeling agency CalCarrie’s as soon as she turned 18 years old.

Sheila had a dynamic career in the fashion business back home, walking the ramp at Fashion Watch, Philippine Fashion Week, and doing shows for Escada Sport, Marks and Spencer, Rustan’s and Sari-Sari Store. She also did bridal and hair shows, and had the privilege of wearing creations from Philippine fashion greats Ben Farrales and Patis Tesoro, including esteemed Dubai-based designer Roulette Esmilla.

Even more significantly, Sheila did her share of promoting Pinay beauty outside the Philippines through her participation in the ‘WOW Philippines North American Roadshow’ sponsored by the Department of Tourism, as well as her stint with Singapore-based Diva Models where she modeled for renowned international fashion brands Kenzo, Loewe and Badgley Mishcka, among others. According to her, her distinctive morena color and pan-Asian look, which was the rage then, helped her hold her own with other foreign models.

A true confident kayumanggi beauty Sheila affirms, “I’m proud to be a Filipina. Our distinct coloring sets us apart from our neighbors in Asia.” She adds, “We should love the skin we’re in, no matter what anyone would tell you back

home. We should embrace how unique we are.”

In a bid to broaden her horizons, Sheila moved to Dubai three years ago to join the booming travel industry, while always keeping the door open whenever opportunities in the fashion scene arise.

She’s looking forward to a great future and is happy with the thought that she has joined the ranks of so many ‘bagong bayanis’. “I am proud to say that I am an OFW, and I hope that I am doing my country proud, whether it be at work or whenever I meet other nationalities. I hope to represent my country well, and feel very fortunate that I still have the values I grew up with.”

56 MANILA TRIPIN’

Binondo

Nibbling our way through Tsinoy town Whoever said Manila is ugly?

Walking tours are now the newest craze in the capital city. They make you experience the rich culture and heritage, and the everyday life of Manila, hidden under all that urban chaos. As famous Manila artist Carlos Celdran says at the end of his tours, “I can’t change the way Manila looks, but I can change the way you look at Manila.”

h

eritage architect Toti Villalon writes, “Manila is the place I love to hate, but not Carlos.

He loves it. Because he does, he gets us to change the way we look at Manila as he tours us around it, mixing fact with irreverent fancy in his commentary on Intramuros or other Manila tourist non-destinations, like the Cultural Center Complex, Escolta and the banks of the Pasig, or Binondo and Chinatown, places that we don’t consider as tourist destinations because of their lack of known ‘attractions’.”

Celdran introduced several walking tours around the City of Manila such as in historic Intramuros, Escolta and Quiapo and the North Side of the Pasig River, and the CCP Complex, Binondo and San Nicolas, and Evangelista Street. He is in fact featured in Lonely Planet together with another alternative tour guide, Ivan ManDy who shares his passion about Chinoy heritage in his tours.

Mines View

Text and Photography by Ivan Anthony Henares

I have joined several of ManDy’s tours.

And one of my favorites is Binondo since it includes a taste of Chinatown as well.

It’s another food trip as we nibbled our way around Chinatown with Ivan ManDy’s ‘The BIG Binondo Food Wok’ alternative Chinatown tour. Here is how my tokayo describes it: “Four hundred years of history and up to four hours of decadence!”

“The flavors of Old China are now in Manila.

Come eat, talk, walk and then lose those calories as we explore the breadth, the width and most intimate alleys of Manila’s Chinese quarter!”

“We start, quite paradoxically, in a 16thcentury Baroque cathedral while making our way down to a miraculous Chinese shrine! Take a peek at a traditional chocolate factory! Go Mama Mia over a mami house!

Sing hurrahs to an authentic Hokkien lumpia!

Savor the taste of an old panciteria!

“We’ll horse around the streets talking Filipino history, gorging Chinese treats and even checking out the district’s period architecture! Forget South Beach, it’s Tsinoy chopsuey and more as we nibble our way down through Tsinoy town!”

We all met up with my tokayo at the Binondo Church, the starting point of his Chinatown tour. Manila’s Chinatown actually encompasses three districts namely Binondo, Santa Cruz and San Nicolas. These were pueblos during the Spanish colonial period before they were combined with Intramuros and other towns to form what is now the City of Manila.

The Binondo Church was built in 1596. It had undergone many changes since then, having sustained considerable damage from earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Most of the church was destroyed during the Second World War. Today the octagonal bell tower and facade are all that remain of the 16th century construction. Catholic Chinese,

MANILA TRIPIN’ 57

many of whom reside or operate businesses in the area, funded the reconstruction of the present church. The church is now a national shrine and a basilica minore for San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint who was born in Binondo.

Our next stop was one of the few remaining chocolate factories in Chinatown along the main street of the district - Ongpin Street. We got to take a peek inside but didn’t see much since the workers were having afternoon siesta. The only activity going on inside was the crushing of cocoa beans in preparation for processing them into the traditional chocolate tablets used for hot chocolate.

Mezzanine Café was our first food stop where we had the rice dish kiampong and fish ball soup, both from southern China where most migrants to the Philippines come from. The café is actually the only themed cafe if Chinatown, showcasing the volunteer firefighter tradition of Chinese Filipinos.

After that tasty snack, we went for a brief stop in a Chinese drug store before moving on to our next food stop along Nueva Street, a dumpling and pancake shop named Dong Bei Dumplings, with recipes originating from northern China. The taste of the dumplings and pancakes actually reminded me of the Japanese gyoza.

From Ongpin Street, we made a brief detour to Salazar Street to savor some ‘tea eggs’ - eggs boiled in tea, and cold pancit from Taiwan. Yes you heard me, cold pancit, egg noodles with veggies and ham if I’m not mistaken.

58 BAKASYON GRANDE

It was back to Ongpin Street and off to our next food stop, a fried siopao shop. Nope, these sumptuous dumplings are not deepfried. They are steamed and cooked on a flat metal pan, rather than the one with holes. It’s called fried since the bottoms of the siopao are browned to a crisp.

We made a brief visit to the PhilippineChinese Buddhist Temple along Kipuja Street, which Ivan M. explains is actually a Taoist temple. There he gave us a background on Chinese religious practices.

According to a write-up of the temple, “with interiors ornately outlined in red and gold, the temple is one of the most frequented in the community. A shrine to Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy and Kuan Te Ya, god of businessmen, it is visited daily by countless worshippers to light joss sticks, offer food, or simply to seek for guidance from these deities.”

From there, we walked to the next pueblo, Santa Cruz. As mentioned earlier, Manila during the Spanish colonial period was just Intramuros. Around it were several other towns, Binondo and Santa Cruz included.

Welcoming us at the end of Ongpin Street was Plaza Santa Cruz, with the grand Carriedo Fountain, built to honor the donor of Manila’s first water system, Francisco Carriedo. At the other end of the plaza is the Santa Cruz Church.

On the right side of the church was Escolta Street, which at one time was the plush shopping area of Manila. Its art deco and beaux-arts buildings are a sight for sore eyes.

The Heritage Conservation Society used to do an architectural walking tour of Escolta before called ‘BEAUX PEEP’!

The old ad went as follows: “The Heritage Conservation Society will be holding a tour of Manila’s American-period financial district, the ESCOLTA. Relive the days of 1930’s peace-time Manila with us as we guide you through some of Asia’s oldest examples of Art Deco and Beaux-Arts Architecture. Some of the places we will visit are the First United Building, Burke Building, Regina Building, the Escolta Museum and the stunning beaux arts El Hogar Filipino by the Pasig River among others.” The said buildings are indeed stunning.”

Near the end of Escolta, and a short walk

to the banks of the Pasig River are one of the best views of the Post Office Building.

From there, it was back to Binondo and our last food stop, a hidden lumpia joint in the art deco Uy Su Bin Building where our tour ended.

We all went home happy. It wasn’t just our stomachs, which were full. So were our minds and souls from that great learning experience and seeing Manila in a different light.

A young Pinoy rediscovers his roots COCONUTER

59

Palengke

The palengke, or marketplace, is the center of trade in Philippine towns and cities.

Although at first glance it may seem like just a meager grocery center, it is actually much more. For many Filipinos, life revolves around the palengke.

a

By David Poarch

nalogically, the palengke is essentially the heart that pumps the blood (i.e. money, goods, etc.) to the town’s tissues and cells (local businesses, people). For the most part, people circulate through the palengke in one way or another.

Jeepney and tricycle drivers transport people everyday to and from the palengke. Businesses satellite the palengke and provide jobs for many locals. Dealers go in and out delivering their products, and vendors visit the market everyday hauling their goods for sale. And of course, there are always customers flocking to buy food, goods, products, and whatnot.

Unlike people in the urban areas who go to the grocery store once a week or so in order to stock up on food and goods, a lot of Filipinos in the countryside have to go almost daily to the palengke in order to purchase necessities, as I do. This is usually due to lack of storage at home, or a lack of money. A reality to many Filipinos, the necessity of living life by the day is made even more apparent by the availability of mini-packets and sachets of products produced for people those with limited means.

In the palengke, you can find just about everything. Typically, these markets have a fruit, vegetable, meat, and fish section. Larger palengkes even have clothing, kitchenware, and electronics. Also, there are usually sari-sari stores around for other miscellaneous needs.

The variety and amount of products for sale, the crowds, and the hustle and bustle escalate on designated days - when it is market day or araw ng palengke. On this day, the market is usually packed with more vendors and more people trying to get good deals and specialized products. There is a lot of noise and vigorous activity with vendors shouting prices, attempting to convince anyone who passed by to buy their products. Tinderas could be heard urging, “kuya, ate, bili na!” People, in the meantime, pushed and squeezed through the crowds, pausing every now and then to look, haggle, and eventually buy.

Juice vendors stirred and mixed their popular samalamig or cold concoctions like buko, pineapple, melon juice, gulaman, and others.

Then there are those selling rice cakes like suman, sapin-sapin, puto and kutsinta among other local delicacies.

You meet all sorts of folks in the palengke, including beggars, both young and old, jutting their hand in the pathway of passersby, with some of them going as far as tugging on people’s clothing, muttering a rehearsed ‘pity phrase’. If you follow some of such beggars around, you may be surprised to note that a certain portion of them ride the jeepney towards the next town’s palengke, performing a daily routine of market-hopping - to each his own ‘trade’ in this throbbing marketplace.

Within the core of the palengke are the fruit and vegetable sections, selling excellent produce. Filipinos are fortunate to have the benefit of fruit and vegetable grown in their natural habitat, making these richer in nutrient and vitamin content as well as in taste, as compared to the produce of more industrialized nations.

For example, it is well known that a papaya cultivated in the Philippines has almost ten times the concentration of the digestive enzyme papain than a papaya grown in other parts of the world.

Inside the heart of the palengke where the sun no longer shines through can be found aisles of meat. Here, the brushing noise of plastic strings fluttering can be heard as tinderas try relentlessly to keep flies away. Matadors can be heard pounding away as they quickly and accurately chop through slabs of meat. And right next door is the fish section, which usually has freshly-caught fish if you are early and if the palengke is situated close to the ocean.

Upon nightfall, vendors can be seen packing up to call it a day.

Despite occasional days of sale slumps, the dirt and grime, and the tough daily life in the traditional market, vendors are undeterred and perseverant. In fact, it is perhaps the simple market vendors that are the prime embodiments of sipag at tiyaga, as they return early every morning to the palengke, ensuring that the ‘heart’ continues to reenergize and replenish the nation and the Filipino.

60 PINOY PLANET Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. It is the political, cultural, domestic and international exchange center of the country and one of the largest historical and cultural cities and ancient capitals in the world. Man first appeared in Beijing 700,000 years ago as evidenced by the primitive Peking Man community in Zhoukoudian.

Text and Photography by Ivan Anthony Henares

CHINA

Sojourn

PINOY PLANET 61

During one of my trips to China, I took a train from Fuzhou to get the ancient city of Beijing. There is a lot to be said about trains in China, especially if you are on one for 34 hours non-stop! We got ourselves ‘hard sleeper tickets’ to Beijing from Fuzhou. There are two other options, which are the ordinary seats for shorter trips (now try that for 34 hours) and the ‘soft sleepers’, which were sort of the first class tickets.

Although called ‘hard sleepers’, the beds are not really that hard. There are six beds in each cabin, two on the ground level, two middle bunks and two on top. Prices slightly differ depending on the level. For the soft sleepers, there are just four beds to a cabin.

The cabins seem slightly bigger and the beds are obviously softer.

The long trip wasn’t bad at all. And the good thing about the trip was that we got to see the Chinese countryside. Well before we knew it, the train attendants woke us up since we were nearing Beijing. We arrived at 5:41 a.m.

Old China meets new in Beijing I’d say the temperature was close to 15 degrees Celsius when we arrived that cold morning. The trains are very efficient,

departing on the dot and arriving on time.

First on our list of places to visit was Tiāntán or the Temple of Heaven. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of six inscribed sites in the jurisdiction of Beijing alone.

The Temple of Heaven, covering an area of 2.7 million square meters, is the largest extant temple complex in China. First built in 1420, it served as a place for the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties to worship heaven and pray for an abundant harvest. It is famous for its precise layout, unique architectural structures and elegant decorations.

On the north end is the Hall of Prayer for a Good Harvest, which is the structure we see in most brochures and books. While on the opposite end are the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Circular Mound Altar. The three structures are perfectly aligned along a north-south axis, connected by a terrace called the divine pavement, which is 360 meters long and 2.5 meters high.

Near the south entrance was a tourist information office. When the staff saw we were approaching, they immediately stood up and met us. We asked which bus we could take to get to Tian’anmen Square. So they gave us a piece of paper with the bus

number and a message in Chinese for the conductor to read. When the conductor read our note, she was very helpful and informed us when to get off.

Most people in China do not speak English.

A Mandarin phrasebook with Chinese characters would come in handy so that you could just point at it when needed. Without the characters, it would be a challenge since intonation is also very important.

Tian’anmen Square is said to be the largest city center square in the world. It is named after the Tian’anmen Gate or Gate of Heavenly Peace. After taking photos at the Qianmen Gate, which is at the southern end of the square, and the Monument to the People’s Heroes, we proceeded to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall to view the remains of Mao Zedong.

The hall is a square building with 44 octagonal granite pillars. Outside the north and south entrances are two groups of statues 8.7 meters high. The building is solemn and grand with the remains of Chairman Mao enshrined in a crystal coffin in the reverence hall.

Just a note, you are not allowed to bring

62 BAKASYON GRANDE

bags, more so cameras, inside. So you could either ask a companion to wait outside and hold them for you or deposit them in the baggage storage center across the street for a fee. Entrance to the hall however is free. We made it in time since the hall was closing at 11:30 a.m.

After visiting the hall, and getting our bags back, we decided to walk around and look for a place to eat lunch. Along the way, we passed by the Beijing 2008 Olympics souvenir shop but didn’t get to buy anything since everything was just so pricey! We also took photos in front of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games countdown clock in front of the National Museum of China. The Games are opening at exactly 8 p.m. on August 8, 2008 (8/8/08) because ‘eight’ is considered a lucky number for the Chinese.

After lunch, we walked to the Tian’anmen Gate itself, an image of Tian’anmen Square, which is familiar all over the world. The 33.7 meter-high gate was the original entrance of the imperial city, and it’s middle entrance was reserved for the emperor. It was from this gate that emperors announced their edicts.

With that done, it was time to fulfill my

dream of stepping foot into the Forbidden City. Known as the Palace Museum, the Forbidden City was the residence of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is among the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Beijing. Located in the center of the central axial line of Beijing, the imperial palace was first constructed in 1406. It has more than 9,000 palaces, halls and rooms, and contains a large number of valuable cultural relics.

were the only foreigners on the bus.

The northern pass of Juyongguan Pass is known as Badaling. This particular area of the Great Wall is the most visited by tourists. This portion of the Great Wall is 7.8 meters high and 5 meters wide.

As we entered the gates of the main palace complex, I could hear the opening notes of Bertolucci’s epic masterpiece ‘The Last Emperor’ playing in my mind. But the sad part about our visit was that the main hall of the palace was completely covered by scaffolding! There goes my photo op in the main throne room! We stayed until closing time, visiting as many areas as we could since the palace complex was just so vast.

As we neared Badaling, the view of tall mountains and traces of the Great Wall was just awe-inspiring. When we exited the bus at the drop off point, a gush of frigid wind hit us. We completely forgot that it was much colder here than the city proper since we were high up in the mountains. It was so cold that I had to put on my hood to keep my ears warm. I should have purchased gloves the day before, I thought. But since the stalls were selling them at exorbitantly high prices, I had to make do with the pouch in my sweater to keep my hands warm.

The next day, we got up early to visit the Great Wall of China. The day before, we booked seats with the travel agent in our hotel for a package tour to the Great Wall and Ming Tombs. The bus already had passengers when it picked us up at the hotel at 7:15 a.m. The sad thing was that the guide was speaking in Chinese - it turns out, we

The Great Wall of China was built to protect the various dynasties from raids by Hunnic, Mongol, Turkic, and other nomadic tribes coming from areas in modern-day Mongolia and Manchuria. Although several walls were built since the 3rd century BC, the most famous being built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi

BAKASYON GRANDE 63

200 BC by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, little of those earlier walls remain. It is the world’s longest man-made structure, stretching over 6,352 kilometers. Mao Zedong had a saying: “You’re not a hero if you haven’t climbed the Great Wall.”

We boarded slide cars up the mountain, which brought us straight to the entrance of the Great Wall. The wall, visible from space, is the third UNESCO World Heritage Site I visited in just two days. I guess my high spirits just overtook me as I walked the wall. I didn’t realize I had gone such a long distance already. The wall stretched as far as the eyes could see. The experience was just surreal.

After lunch, we went to one of the Ming Tombs. There are 13 imperial tombs of the Ming Dynasty scattered in an area of about 40 square kilometers in the Changping District of Beijing. They too, were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003.

Only three tombs are open to the public namely Changling, Dingling and Zhaoling. Of these, only the tumulus (underground chamber) of the Dingling Tomb has been opened. Chinese archaeologists are excited about opening the Changling tumulus housing the powerful Yongle Emperor and possibly containing the remaining copy of the Great Dictionary of Yongle (Yongle Dadian).

There’s just so much more to do in Beijing, a small travelogue is not enough to do it justice. If you get the chance to visit the city, also check out the enchanting Summer Palace, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ride a rickshaw and tour the hutongs or old alleyways of Beijing near Shichahai. Enjoy the chic bars and restaurants in Houhai, Bejing’s most happening nightlife place. Don’t miss a trip to Beihai and climb the hill to check out the white Tibetan dagoba. What’s more, you’ll have a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City.

And imagine, that’s just Beijing! Indeed, China is a wonderful place. Experience its culture, see its history, taste its food, live its way of life!

64 FILIPINISMS

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

PINOY FOOD TRIP ON THE SIDE WARNING: This article is guaranteed to make you drool.

While I dug into the depths of my kaPinoyan, to write about something distinctly Filipino, a school of sweet and spicy dilis swimming excitedly toward a bowl of vinegar with crushed garlic and siling labuyo vividly flashed in my mind’s eye. My mouth watered. My stomach growled. I felt so tortured, I had to succumb to the gastronomic temptation. So I bought fish crackers and other nibbles at the neighborhood sari-sari store. Then I prepared a suka dip and invited everyone at home for a late afternoon chikahan while pigletting, er, pigging out (don’t you think this is too grand a word to use for these tiny packets of food?) on chichirya and sawsawan.

Chichirya Anytime, Anywhere One foreigner friend observed that in the Philippines, the mouth is always busy. His description is so spot on. Most of the time we’re either singing along to the videoke or to the song on the radio, chatting with somebody or simply eating. Huge meals thrice a day, light snacks in between, and some chichirya practically anytime, anywhere. The Filipino’s passion for food is unbelievable.

Believe it! The significance of such a diminutive tasty delight cannot be underestimated. If one will observe, in any event, it is the table filled with chichirya that gets the most attention. Eating chicha can

take place anywhere – at a feast, funeral, inuman or kwentuhan. It also doesn’t matter whether you’re alone at the office working on the computer, at the jeepney stop waiting for your ride or inside a bus riding out the traffic. As long as there is an abundance of salty or spicy nibbles, never mind if the gall bladder complains and lips turn white, everybody remains in high spirits.

Some traditional favorites include nilaga or adobong mani (boiled peanuts or fried with garlic); crispy kropek

(crackers) and chicharon (cracklings); the Ilocos-born cornik (fried corn kernels) and chichacorn (chicharon and cornick combined) that both come in a variety of flavors like original, cheese, sweet, and spicy. While kropek usually has that fish or shrimp tang, chicharon may either be chicken, pork skin or variations like chicharon bulaklak (omentum), chicharon bituka (intestine), and other innards.

FILIPINISMS 65

Definitely not to be outdone are the classic seed chichiryas. The white butong kalabasa (squash seeds) are preferred over their black counterpart, butong pakwan (watermelon seeds), because they are easier to crack. The latter may test one’s patience as it involves technique and usually results to chapped lips – aray! But the salty tangy taste of the seeds is a reward in itself.

For kids, there is junior chichirya in the form of Corn Bits or Corn Nuts; Boy Bawang or cornik in garlic, chili-cheese, adobo, and barbecue flavors; and Ding Dong, which is mixed nuts including peanuts, cracker nuts, cornik, and green peas. Other relatively expensive chichas available in the country are Chippy, Potato Chips, Mr. Chips, Nachos, Tortillos, V-Cut, Nagaraya, Oishi, Kirei, Pee Wee, among others. The healthy cassava chips in assorted flavors and the flour-filled shing-a-ling are also available options. To satisfy the sweet tooth, there are milk or chocolate-coated Knick Knacks and the cheaper priced sweet beans or garbanzos.

Sawsawan, anyone?

It goes with anything. For the Pinoy, that is.

No Filipino meal is complete or Filipino appetite satisfied without the sawsawan.

Although most use it to complement specific dishes, some Pinoys are so used to these dips that they match them with practically anything. Regardless whether we are feasting on beef, pork, seafood or vegetables cooked in any style, we will always be reaching for patis (fish sauce), suka (vinegar), toyo (soy sauce), bagoong (shrimp or fish paste), and ketchup.

The Filipino tongue craves for either a singular taste - sour, salty, spicy or sweet - or

a fusion of these. The result is, of course, a variety of dips - a celebration of flavors that blend well with every food serving, thanks to Pinoy creativity and adventurousness.

Kare-kare’s long-standing affair with bagoong alamang (shrimp paste) tops the list of meal and sawsawan pairings that have stood the test of time. Bagoong isda (fish paste) with tomatoes or calamansi/ lime/ lemon/kamias, on the other hand, is best with fried or grilled fish. An alternative for this is cane or coconut vinegar with salt, plane or with the works (garlic, chili, onion, black pepper, and other spices). It is an all-time-favorite for grilled or fried meat (think pork barbecue). Suka and toyo combined, plus chopped onions and garlic weaken the dieter’s defense against crispy pata (pork limb). Toyo with calamansi and chili sauce are the partners for siomai and other dumplings. Patis with any of the sour accomplices bring out the best in soup dishes with vegetables, from sinigang na baboy (sour pork dish) to nilagang baka (boiled beef ).

The use of calamansi with the sauces, except vinegar, is quite notable. Maggi has even produced its own Toyomansi seasoning product, a combination of toyo and calamansi. It should not be surprising at all if Bagomansi and Patimansi emerge later on.

Mang Tomas, a sweet liver sauce with spices, is the only one for any lechon for the Tagalogs. Interestingly, each region has its own sawsawan for this Spanishinspired delicacy. While bagomansi is used

in Pangasinan and Ilocos, the Visayans prefer vinegar.

Although tomato ketchup exists, banana ketchup is the favorite in the Philippines where it is said to have originated during the Japanese occupation due to the lack of condiments made in the USA. Jufran, UFC, and Papa are some famous banana ketchup brands that are partnered with fried chicken and shanghai rolls. Yellow in color, the sweet mango ketchup from Guimaras, the country’s mango haven, may soon compete with the red banana ketchup.

With Filipinos so spoiled for choice when it comes to little chichirya treats and flavorful sawsawans - isn’t it just yummy to be living in the Philippines?

66 FILIPINISMS

The Annie B.(Batobalani) Chronicles

The adventures and misadventures of a ‘not so average’ Pinay trying to make it in the cosmopolitan city of Dubai.

From Bali to

Singapore

Travel opportunities come only once in a full moon.

To be able to see new places, learn new cultures and meet different people - especially cute boys - are the things I’ve always dream on. So when my boss ask me if I can accompany him to our company’s Global Conference in the world-class resort island of Bali, with a matching Singapore weekend stopover – without battling my eyelash I quickly said Yes! Libre na, may bayad pa! I get to work while being on a holiday trip – it’s like hitting two beards with one’s tone. Dizzizit, Annie B. goes globe-strutting!

Armed with my pang-Jumeirah Open Beach Shhboom outfits, my pambato na Havaia-nots flipflops, my varity of showls from Karama, plus gallons of sunblock lotion (not lower than SPF 20, no less!), my i2i sunglasses collection and fully charged digicam, I stuffed my Echolac luggage with my bare essentials for my instant Tropical Paradise Adventure. I had to sacrificed a lot of make-up and accessories to give space to the office documents and presentation materials my boss asked me to hand carry thru out the flight. Not a piece of cake – the entire office stuff weighed more than 10 kilos. Shuhada?!!! But what to do? Dedma na sa extra muscles while carrying a laptop and documents that weight more than a two-year old kid – ang libreng trip – baka bawiin…..so goodbye muna to my Likas Papaya soap, Eskinol Facial lotion, Chinchin-Su cosmetics and So-en laungery. Next trip na lang kayo.

I felt something was wrong the moment I entered the Business Lounge (Yes! Naka-jackpot!), everybody was wearing shorts and t-shirts and snickers. I was in full-Working Girl outfit – pin-striped suit with matching

stockings and four-inch steeletoes outfit – hitsura ni Dianne Keaton sa outfit ko. I notice that, except for this group of Koreans, everybody inside the Business Class Lounge were in casual clothes – hindi naman Safa Park ito ah? These people should learn how to dress up properly. Business class kaya dapat naka-business outfit di ba?

“Why in the bloody hell are you dressed like that, Annie?” my boss asked me. Heller?!!! “We’re going to the friggin’ beach in Bali, not Wall Street, dear.” He won’t stop reminding me. “Well, I plan to go to Wall Street in Singapore, you know?” sabay kindat at pa-cute kay Bitoy. “Inggit ka lang kasi ako mukhang amo ikaw mukhang Aleli Abadilla (alalay).” I quietly told myself. Mahirap na, baka iwanan pa ako.

As we boarded the airplane, I was amazed at how being business class looks like and feels like. You know, this is just my second airplane trip but I’m getting a taste and those of the high life – buti na lang nadamay ako kay bossing! The chair was so spacious and comfortable like a Lazy Boy sofa - I almost inserted a coin to check if it also vibrates to give me a oneminute massage. The video screen is bigger and the menu is different from the economy class. I ordered alcohol this time – since I learned that it’s for free of charge – a cocktail, a Singapore Slim - because that’s where we’re going and I have to watch my diet. It was so quiet in the Business Class - everyone was either quiet reading the newspaper, clicking their laptops or watching the video with their headphones.

An hour later, I began to feel board. My boss was already in deep’s number and my seatmates looked snobbish. So I sneaked to Economy class and looked for other Pinays to chat with. Lucky for me, Manay Puring, the lady who sells pirated Tagalog VCDs in our neighborhood was in the same flight on her way to her annual vacation to the Philippines. Maricar, my cousin’s

FILIPINISMS 67

WEYT!!!

EEM E L S E APOR

SING

A BALI!

MAINIT S

YAN! HOY KABA

A! WAWA...

HMM? TALAG

on her way to her annual vacation to the Philippines. Maricar, my cousin’s gay manicurist all of a suddenly came of the labratory. Chismisan Session na itu! It felt good to be in the company of my kabayans as we exchanged stories and laughed at jokes while killing time abored the airplane. At least, I learned something new from that trip - hiwalay na pala si Ruffa at Yilmaz. I should update my showbiz knowledge soon - time to visit www. pep.com more often. Remember, knowledge is power.

Three days later I’m in the middle of Orchard Road, in the poshed district of Singapore. Now this is what I really call cosmopolitan. Towering skyflakers, well-preserved old buildings, states-of-the-arts bridges and transportation systems, and mix of different nationalities in one small city. It is actually like Dubai, if only with more trees and cleaner roads and less construction sights. But just the same, things are also expensive here. Life is fast-faced and nobody takes time to say hello to each other.

As we reached Denpasar airport, I began to shed buckets of sweat. It was so hot and humid that people’s body odor was turning up in full power. My Bench Cologne evaporated into thin air. Que horror! Along the Baggage Claim Area, I saw lots of passengers unpacking their Louis Vuitton luggage from all their plastic cover. They looks like scabaggers as they tear and throw and litter the place with plastic all over. What’s the point of buying expensive bags if you have to cover them with layers of plastic? How very Ines Capistrano (Nova Villa’s character in the 80s TV sitcom Chicks-To-Chicks)!

Fortunately, I met a lot of kabayans in Lucky Plaza, where most of the Pinoy OFWs usually hang out especially on weekends during their day off.

While munching on adobo, I listened to different stories good enough to make it as episodes of Magpakailanman and Maalaala Mo Kaya TV series.

While most of them are sad, others also have success stories to tell. Yes, a trip to Lucky Plaza is like watching a telenovela marathon – you get to see life and all it’s drama, comedy – may action pa! It could be entertaining but there is always a moral lesson. It reminded me of how lucky I am being single and not having too much responsibilities in life yet. Also, being in Dubai, I get to enjoy a lifestyle that I love – have a life after working hours, gimmick on weekends and be with friends all the time, and of course stay as ever beautiful as I am ever-chever, not like the crying ladies of Lucky Plaza.

At last we arrived in Legian Resort. I was thrilled again because I got to stay in a 5-star hotel. I’m really lucky to be bless with all this VIP treatment.

Thank you to our company – thank you na rin bossing! After unpacking my stuff and preparing my boss’ presentation materials, I quickly slipped out and took a tour of the island resort. Well, well, well, what can I say?

Bali is a wanderful place – it is clean and the hotels and resorts are all world-class. The locals are very friendly – too friendly in fact. I thought I could buy a pair of Bali shoes – it turns out I had the wrong brand name in mind. There are lots of glamorous fashion shops around and exciting bars and restaurants. But the beach – can I just tell you – the beach is not that fabulous. It’s not even white sand - with lots of rocks and gigantic waves, I wasn’t able to emote and do my Rachel Lobangco Shhboom projection.

I was wondering why Bali is so popular in the world because walang sinabi ang beach ng Bali if you compare it to our very own Boracay.

As I waited for my passport to be stamped at the Dubai Airport, I look back at the things that I saw and people that I met during my trip. I have seen very high-class places and sophistication people, but I’m more happy that I met other kabayans. Can you image if there were no Pinoy OFWs around?

Kahit baduy pa sila or super ingay, or kamukha ni April Boy Regino - we’re all kabayans and we should be happy and proud of our own. We should all have that great Pinoy spirit. Kasi whatever anyone will tell you – iba talaga ang Pinoy!

68 FILIPINISMS FROM OUR READERS

ARE YOU A Pinoy in the emirates?

Dubai-resident Chelle Laborte confirms what a lot of foreigners and kababayans, know – that it’s fairly easy to spot a Filipino, whether they’re walking on the streets, shopping in the city’s buzzing malls or working away in offices. Here are some of here well-founded theories –

You’re a Pinoy in the Emirates if…

• For a whole year now, you still have that humongous cargo box stashed away in your minuscule closet or at the foot of the bed (whichever has the bigger space) which you diligently fill up with goodies and stuff for your relatives, friends, even neighbors, back home.

• As soon as you receive your monthly salary, you catch yourself queuing up in Rostamani, Al Ghurair, or any remittance center to wire money to the Philippines – either for your family’s needs, or for some personal investments (say, buying that really nice dream condo at the Fort) or to pay off some debts. And as soon as you walk away, you carry that remittance receipt on one hand, buoyed by a a sense of heroism on the other (even just for a nanosecond) while the song ‘Babalik Ka Rin, Babalik Ka Rin’ plays inside your head.

• You have used the word kabayan more than a dozen times especially at the sight of any chinky-eyed, small-to-mediumbuilt Asian. Chances are, you have used this “kabayan” word to ask for directions, to ask a favor to take your photo or to ask for discounts from sale staff at the mall.

On Surviving the Temperature • You have seriously considered (or have already done) throwing a bucket of tube ice into your pail of (boiling) hot water during the desert summer peak - just to be able to survive a bath!

• You miss the rain, the typhoons and yes, even the floods so much that you jump up and down like crazy at the mere sight of a drizzle. And even more, you do the dance of joy at the sight (or even a rumor) of rainfall!

• You wear a pair of fashionably and fabulously oversized bumblebee shades, which make your small nose disappear and practically cover your entire face, matched with an equally enormous umbrella when you go to the church or nearby supermarket. You might be a fashionista but you are still ‘sunscared’, even if you come from tropical Philippines.

• You bring jackets, scarves or pashminas, even at the peak of the scorching summer heat, so you can wear them inside the buildings, malls and flats (with what seems like below-zero-

degree-air-condition temperature), and piece by piece, take off layers and layers of your clothing when outdoors .

On Love for Eating • At the beach, you bring baons such as your favorite adobo or marinated meat – ready for barbecuing, not to mention, a bagful of songhits, a guitar or CD player while you sing your hearts out with your videoke-savvy friends.

• After every mass or church service on Fridays, you look for the Pinay vendors who never fail to satisfy your craving for authentic kutchinta, palitaw and puto.

• When you go to Spinneys, Carrefour or Hyperpanda, you practically dash through all the aisles and head straight to the exotic food section where you can find Chocnut, Flat Tops, dried fish, canned laing, red Chippy, Nagaraya, Besuto among other much-missed food stuff which, for some strange reason, somehow temporarily cures you of homesickness!

On Being Undoubtedly Pinoy • You learn to distinguish between an Indian’s SHRUG that means NO, and the exact same nod that means YES - and still the exact same nod that means MAYBE. • And being the full-fledged Pinoy that you are, you learn to answer them with a POUT that points and indicates directions to anywhere from something that is inches away or to somewhere as far as ten kilometers away – pointing with your lips “’dun… ‘dun!”

Ahhh… I still commend all Pinoys for surviving the seemingly unbearable heat, the struggles of homesickness, and the pressures at work and daily life. For effortlessly creating a mark on the emirates’ otherwise surreal and workaholic world – what with the cheerfulness and work-efficient attitudes that Pinoys have always been known for. I’d like to think that bumping into Pinoys in every nook and cranny of this place is part of what makes this place special.

Here’s to being a full-fledged Pinoy in the emirates!

The view from your regular Juan dela Cruz on the street 69

Usapang Kanto

What’s your favorite pinoy

I like going out and watching movies especially with someone special.

Lorraine Palilio

pastime?

By Jonie Jose

Cooking, playing with my laptop and iPod and My favorite pastime is to solve Soduku and smoking :)

frequenting the beach.

Rhoderick Romano

Donalee Tenorio

Mag-isip lang, kasi kapag nag-iisip ako ng malalim, naaalala ko ang dapat kung gawin na importante sa araw na iyon.

Naiisip ko rin yong mga desisyon ko dati para malaman ko kung tama o mali at maging aral sa akin iyon.

I love to spend my time shopping for clothes in Top Shop and New Look. If my resources allow me to splurge some more, I would definitely go for eat-all-you-can restos like The Double Decker in Al Murooj Rotana Hotel.

Mary Ann Oliva

Jerwel

I love listening to music. I’m practically married to my iPod, organizing songs is one of my fave pastimes. Watching videos in You Tube as well, from Asian movies to Japanese music videos, is at the top of my list.

Melany Demetillo

My favorite pastime is going to the mall. I really love to shop, and I like the fact that I can see many of our kabayans in the shopping mall - it makes me feel good when I see them, somehow my longing for my family is being relieved.

Maricel Laxamana

Being away from home, I’m missing my family and friends a lot. So whenever I’m free, I make movies on Movie Maker from all the pictures I have collected. Be it a beach escapade with friends, a simple family gathering or my toddler’s cute gimmicks. It is my way of keeping the memories personalized.

Nanalie Mijares

70 HILIG PINOY

Pinoy Surfing Dude Born in Australia, but bred in the shores of the Philippines, this half-Filipino half-Australian hunk considers himself as a quintessential ‘batang San Juan, La Union’. A professional surfer and parttime model, Luke ‘The Model’ Landrigan is probably the best and hottest surf rider in the country to date - winning heaps of competition titles and posing for several fashion magazine covers.

By Jan La’O

Luke grew up in La Union, where he studied from grade school to college.

But he quips he was never really interested in school because he just wanted to surf. It was his dad, a surfing enthusiast since his teenage years, who got him into the sport. Growing up in a surf resort made the sport an essential part of Luke’s life. As he puts it, “It’s like learning how to walk, you can’t really remember how you started walking.”

Living right on the beach makes it convenient for him to indulge his passion whenever he likes – he just jumps into the water in front of their house whenever there are waves. With its beach break for learners and point break for advanced surfers giving everybody a choice of waves, Luke considers his hometown San Juan his favorite surf. Outside La Union, this sport enthusiast also likes Indonesia, Australia and most of the surf breaks around the Philippines, from Heart Break (Pagudpud) to Lanuza (Surigao del Sur). The remotest place he’s been to surf is Palawan and he dreams of surfing in Jamaica. “I’ve seen pictures of the waves there. They’re not that good, but imagine surfing with Rastafarians!” he laughs.

When not riding the water, Luke works at his own shop, the San Juan Surf Shop (within the San Juan Surf Resort in La Union), and runs his Billabong-Beach Hut San Juan Surf School, while still finding the time to compete in surfing events around the country. From his first competition, which he joined at the age 14, Luke has been part of over 30 surfing championships in the Philippines, from where he has racked up over 20 trophies. The latest accolades he won are the Lanuza National Surfing Competition (Shortboard Champion 2006) and La Union Longboard Open (2nd Runner Up).

As a pro surf instructor, Luke says that one of the hardest surfing factors to explain is the wave. “You can never teach anyone how to pick a wave or which one is better. You can just explain to them that every wave is different. Not one wave is the same as the other. You need time and lots of experience to know which wave is good.” For first-timers, he suggests that La Union is the safest place to hit, because there’s a beach break (sand bottom), and it’s accessible from Manila. Although, there is an

HILIG PINOY 71

amount of danger anywhere you surf, Luke says the important thing is to “know where to surf and when”. For learners, he cautions about surfing on breaks or breaks with a coral or rock bottom. He suggests.

“It’s always good for first timers to get an instructor. It’s for your own safety.”

Commenting on our standing in the international surfing arena, Luke relates, “When you go to Indonesia or Australia, or any famous surfing place, you’ll see eight or 12 year olds just killing it! I mean their surfing is so good.” He continues, “I’ve seen a few Pinoy kids who are that good, but the lack of support for the industry here in the Philippines is a real setback.” And true, ask anyone that competes in the country and they would say that sponsorship is definitely the biggest problems for local enthusiasts. And this is not only the case for surfing, but also wakeboarding and a couple other new sports that Filipinos are slowly getting into. Although a few lucky riders like Luke, for example, have already been getting sponsorship (for equipment and travel), a lot of other surfers with great potential, do not get backing at all, and hence have a very hard time getting on top of the game. Luke says, “I hope there would be more support in the future because we can really go far internationally.”

When not ripping the waves, you could find Luke hanging out with friends or playing with his dogs Kellogs and River, or mocking around with his surfboard and Sector Nine. But he says that surfing will always be the biggest part of his life – “Surfing has given me everything - my house, the food I eat, the chance to travel, my friends. It’s how I live, I live to surf.”

BILLABONG SAN JUAN SURF SCHOOL, LA UNION Learn To Surf with Philippine pro surfer, and Stokedinc. team rider, Luke Landrigan, at the Billabong San Juan Surf School. Located at the town of San Juan, surfing haven of the province of La Union, the surf camp has been in operation for the past 12 years. With Luke’s 13 years of surfing experience, and over 20 trophies in numerous surf competitions around the Philippines, including a RED CROSS certificate on first-aid in water safety, Luke is clearly qualified for the job. His classes guarantee safety in and out the water, and knowledge of basic fundamentals on surfing. See you in the water!

For inquiries contact: +632 721 4899, +63 72 720 0340 www.sanjuansurfresort.com.ph

72 ENTERTAINMENT

reborn The Re-birth of Pinoy Pride in New Zealand

f

ilipino musicality shines through in unlikely places - in New Zealand, for instance. With a full-house concert at the Panasonic Performing Arts Center in December of last year, to launch their second album ‘Balikbayan’, the Auckland–based band REBORN has triggered no less than a re-birth of pride among Filipinos in Kiwiland, and possibly throughout the rest of the world.

Formed two years ago, the band naturally evolved from its members’ involvement in the CFC music ministry. Thus, it came as no surprise that their debut album ‘Return To Sender’ had an emphatically spiritual orientation. The title refers to giving back to the Creator what He so abundantly bestowed on us.

Their second album ‘Balikbayan’ is for the most part an all-out celebration of the Filipino homeland, its incomparable beauty and uniquely exuberant people.

The song ‘Balikbayan’ talks about that exquisitely joyous moment when returning Pinoys set foot on native soil and experience once again the long-missed sights, sounds, touches, and tastes of home.

‘Pinoy Pa Rin Ako’ is an unapologetic declaration of patriotism and diehard loyalty to the land of our birth.

‘Asahan N’yo’ is an OFW’s love letter to the folks back home, filled with heartfelt nostalgia, and ending with an inspirational message of hope.

Indeed, in contrast to the wanton mayhem, sensuality and overall negativity in much of today’s popular music, REBORN’s all-original songs resound with a refreshingly positive outlook.

All this wrapped in highly accessible, commercial-sounding contemporary pop/rock - complete with classy arrangements, catchy hooks, cool rhythms, hot riffs and searing guitar solos.

The latter come courtesy of lead guitarist Jon Rickard, a fullblooded Kiwi blessed with a Pinoy heart, who is also an IT project manager with plans to do volunteer work for Gawad Kalinga in the Philippines.

His band mates have similarly rewarding ‘day jobs’. Bassist Boy Aldana is an engineer. Lyricist/percussionist Alvin Soniega is an account manager. Marlon Sison, composer, arranger and synth player, has a demanding job in human resources. Ray Pineda, composer, arranger, keyboard player and acoustic guitarist, is an IT manager. And lead singer/guitarist Rodel Cabana is a printing specialist, whose son Jepoy alternates on drums with New Zealander Jonathan King.

What they all have in common, aside from their highly successful careers, are their abiding faith, close family ties, hardcore Filipino values, multiple talents and boundless joy in music making.

On top of all these is their lifelong dedication to a cause larger than themselves. This explains why the net proceeds of their first album and concert are donated to ‘Ancop New Zealand Charitable Trust’ for Gawad Kalinga projects in the Philippines.

Thus, today we can safely say that the band has already affected lives for the better, music-wise and otherwise.

With its future plans for a third album and a Middle East concert tour, REBORN is poised to do even more so.

For more information about the band visit: http://reborn.blog. co.nz

ENTERTAINMENT 73 Formed in the early days of the local underground scene, Sandwash began as a raw punk outfit before becoming one of Dubai’s foremost music icons. Continuously voted as Dubai’s best live band (Phride.com’s 2005 year-end poll), the band’s colorful personas, dynamic songwriting and unpredictable onstage antics make them one of the biggest highlights at every underground concert.

p

Sandwash Band

romoted widely by the city’s previously unrepresented punk youths, Sandwash began as a popular live act in underground gigs. But while the local punk fans faithfully attended each of the band’s gigs, Sandwash’s love for the unpredictable and interest in more melodic based music soon won them a new group of listeners – leading to the band headlining the ESPN X Games in Dubai two years in a row (2005 and 2006). Such popularity made Sandwash the only original local band to feature on the cover of Time Out Dubai.

Sandwash is composed by an eclectic group of predominantly Filipino Dubai-raised youngsters led by front man Mike Fillon (songwriter, vocals and guitars), Jay Fillon (drums), Cromwell Ojeda (bass) and Russian Pavel Douzhnikov (guitars). When not performing Mike, who acts as group spokesperson manages the band’s affairs, while Jay develops concepts, Crom takes care of artworks and Pavel handles the finances.

Sandwash plays their own style of music called ‘groovecore’, a form of rock characterized by vintage guitar riffs, modern metal dynamics and soaring sing-along choruses. Commenting on the definitive Pinoy influence in their music, Mike Fillon remarks, “Our songs are characterized by pop sensibilities and sing-along choruses that comes from being raised on cheesy 70s ballads and 80’s New Wave. Filipino music has been shaped by a strong sense of melody, which has constantly inspired me to find smart song structures and killer vocal hooks.” He says that their lyrics also emulate the playfulness of songs from well-known Pinoy acts like the Juan de la Cruz, Eraserheads and Yano – giving each of their pieces a story that people would be curious to hear.

Unsurprisingly, the bands’ songs have been inspired by the highs and lows of being a 20-something in Dubai, focusing on their relationship experiences – from “the break-ups, to the cheating, to finding a soul mate in the of weirdest places, and so on”, according to Mike.

In August this year, the band went on a two-week tour in Philippines. A string of media appearances, on three of the country’s major rock stations (NU107, HitFM, and MagicFM), and a televised performance (RJTV Bar) led to the band being invited to return in October. Mike Fillon enthuses, “It was very positive!

People instantly got the flow. The country has some of the world’s best performers, so we knew we couldn’t really compete on a musicianship level. So we just let our characters show and played from the heart. We made a lot of great friends, including some of our heroes – like ex-members of Yano, Eraserheads, and The Dawn, who incidentally heard us play. It was a ‘wow’ moment for all of us!”

Moving forward, Sandwash will be releasing its first album ‘Je ne sais quoi’ in early November. The guys are currently shooting a video for the carrier single ‘Alabaster’, planning a first series of shows in the UK in 2008, and hoping for a side trip to Manila before the end of the year.

And while the UAE moves though its transitional period in the media industry and the country’s entertainment offerings develop in a blinding pace, the band hopes that the shift will allow them to spread their music around the region, especially because they have all been raised here. “We’re currently trying to take our music to the UK, the US and Philippines, but it’s important for us to make it here because our songs have been written with a Dubai heart,” says Mike.

With the band’s distinctive style, strong stage presence, not to mention their increasing local following and the interest they are generating in the music business, capped by their strong resolve in pushing forward with their dream, quite conceivably, Sandwash is on its way to becoming an internationally renowned act – with its heart firmly entrenched in the city of Dubai.

74 MANILA’S HOT RELEASES

By Jan La’O

Amber Davis - Amber Davis Amber Davis

Amber Davis’ Philippine release was debut album ‘Feel Good Music’, which had the hit carrier single ‘Manila’ - a remake from of the ‘70s hit by the legendary Hotdogs. Previous to that, she had two singles from the movie soundtrack ‘Playa’s Ball’ and was lead vocalist for the popular rock and hiphop stage show ‘Enwhy’ at Universal Studios. Today, she has released her self-titled sophomore album containing ten original Pop/R&B tracks with her own unique blend of American and Filipino influences. Check out the classic old school sound of ‘FYI’, featuring Philippine Prince of R&B Jay-R, the sensual ‘Love Drunk’, and the festive ‘Journey Of Love’.

Stars Lala

Indo-Pinoy singer-songwriter-guitarist, Lala, established herself in the industry through a duet, ‘Unsaid’ with another Warner Music Philippines talent - Christian Bautista. She has penned six out the ten songs in her debut album, ‘Stars’, which contains ten tracks reflecting a teenage girl’s joys and heartbreaks of love and life. It’s an album you can sing-along to with soothing, honest and even hypnotic lyricism and melodies. Check out Lala’s impressive vocal range with tracks like the funky ‘Better Alone’, the steady ‘Unperfect’, dreamy ‘It’s You’, and an acoustic renditions of ‘Unperfect’ and ‘What About You’.

I know What To Do Pinoy Success Handbook

by Jeffrey ‘Ximo’ Ramos

So you want to be successful – but do you know what to do?

Author Jeffrey Ximo Ramos unlocks the secrets to achievement in his substantial motivational tome ‘I Know What To Do’. Lifted from his personal learnings from the challenges and triumphs of living in the United Arad Emirates, the book is packed with useful tips and fundamental truths that can help you accomplish your dreams. It is divided into three main sections – How to be successful, how to maintain success and how not to get corrupted by success. With its words of wisdom, not to mention the writers’ interestingly casual style and wit, the book promises to be a veritable ‘success handbook’ one would eagerly be reaching for, from time to time.

Now available in the UAE through Illustrado.

Please call 04-365 4543 to reserve your copy or e-mail info@illustrado.net

Myself, Elsewhere

By Carmen Guerrero Nakpil

‘Myself, Elsewhere’ is both an autobiography and a memoir of old pre-war Ermita when the new American culture collided with the old Spanish past. It covers the period between 1922, the start of what Nick Joaquin called Manila’s “most glittering decade” and 1945, the destruction of Manila. At the age of 84, Carmen Guerrero Nakpil offers both the innocent candor of the young and the worldly wisdom of the old. Using flashbacks and fast-forwards, she provides historical background and foreground to the highly personal account of her early years and family history. This book also describes the cultural frame, the manners, and morals, gossips and intrigues of a small Filipino town on Manila Bay during the first half of the 20th century.

Negosyo 50 Joey Concepcion’s Inspiring Entrepreneurial Stories

By Joey Concepcion What they did, how they did it, how they kept it. Joey Concepcion brings together a rich assembly of entrepreneurial stories in one book that will inspire the Filipino to believe in the power of determination to reach their dreams. ‘NeGOsyo: Inspiring Stories of 50 Successful Filipino Entrepreneurs’ recognizes the social and economic contributions of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial families who have created value for the nation through successful businesses and employment generation. Professor Andy Ferreria highlighted lessons for each entrepreneur story in the book. Purchase the tome, pass it on, and spark the spirit and culture of enterprise nationwide, particularly among the Filipino youth.

Books available at Powerbooks, Phils. www.powerbooks.com.pH CDs available at Tower Records Phils. www.Tower-records.ph

Now & Then Dianne Elise

Growing up in the United States, listening to various kinds of music, Dianne Elise was exposed to an eclectic blend of musical genres that are mostly influenced by AfricanAmerican culture. Before returning home and hitting it big in the archipelago, she recorded an indie album called ‘Let It Fall’ with James Levy and had her final performance in Washington during the Philippine Independence Festival at Freedom Plaza. Her first Philippine release, ‘Now & Then’ features thirteen tracks of classic melodies showcasing her versatility as a singer. The album’s carrier single is a remake of David Foster and Peter Cetera’s classic pop love ballad ‘You’re The Inspiration’.

I Shine For You Mau Marcelo

Mau Marcelo is the winner of the first season of Philippine Idol in 2006. Her debut EP release ‘On My Own” under Sony BMG, became a huge radio hit charting in many radio stations across the country. Other recordings include two tracks on ‘Philippine Idol: The Final 12’ CD. Prior to PI, Marcelo had also recorded ‘Samantha Brown’, an album of ten original songs composed by her stepsister’s husband. In her full debut album, ‘I Shine For You’, Mau truly shines with eleven tracks of infectious pop melodies and song lyrics with inspiring messages.

That Vibe Miki

After winning a Videoke Challenge on GMA 7, 18-yearold Miki Hahn was signed up by Viva Records and has now released her debut album ‘That Vibe’. It contains 12 songs (six covers) showcasing her powerful vocal range hitting up soul and R&B tunes. Her musical influences are Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Jojo, Joss Stone and Lauryn Hill. Miki has great remakes of Gerry Paraiso’s ‘You Won’t See Me Crying’, Odette Quesada’s ‘I Need You Back’, and an original song made especially for her by Keith Martin and Marcus Davis entitled ‘Oh Baby’. The first single release is ‘Huwag Mo Sanang Sasabihin’ by Arnie Mendaros.

Ballerina of the People

By Lisa Macuja-Elizalde

A full-color coffee table book designed by award-winning book designer Ige Ramos, and edited by Angela Blardony Ureta and Susan de Guzman, “Ballerina of the People” showcases Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s astounding career as a Philippine-based ballerina who has successfully clocked 20 years of dancing the lead in almost 300 ballets, performing in 85 cities that span five continents. Hailed as the “ballerina of the people,” at 42, Macuja remains at the peak of her active career and is widely regarded as a “living icon” of classical dance in the Philippines. She is committed to bringing ballet closer to the hearts of the Filipino masses – the same inspiration that continues to spur Ballet Manila, which she helped create in 1995.

Pinoy Dressing

Wearing Culture into Fashion The collection of valuable vignettes of cultural identity compiled into one beautiful volume shows the evolution of Philippine fashion as a stimulating chronicle of history whose relics, influences, and present-day application continue to shape, color and embellish the very fiber of every Filipino’s being. Enhanced visually by the vivid illustrations of designer Loretto Popioco and award-winning book designer Ige Ramos, ‘Pinoy Dressing’ by noted fashion designer and columnist Barge Ramos, is an attempt to continue and integrate indigenous weaving culture into contemporary design ideas, in the hope of preserving our past values and enriching them with new ideas for contemporary applications.

The Ultimate Orient - Philippine South Sea Pearls

By Alya Honasan and Scott Tuason

Produced by businessmen Manuel Cojuangco and Jacques Branellec’s renowned com-pany Jewelmer International Corporation, this award-winning coffee table book is an informative work of superb artistry, one that, were it possible, should be proudly hung for all to see. The photography is breathtaking, provided by internationally recognized photographer and environmentalist, Scott Tuason, while the text written by editor-inchief of the Sunday Inquirer Magazine and associate editor of Metro Magazine, Alya Ho-nasan, provides information so enlightening that never again will one be able to dismiss the pearl necklace worn by any woman, irrespective of her unique beauty.

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