16TH PHIL. INT’L. HOT AIR BALLOON FIESTA
Sky’s the limit COVERGIRL DANICA JEAN LAXAMANA
behind the scenes FEATURED REVIEW
Perry, The Musical
MEET F&H’S P/CEO
Unfolding Ronald Pineda NIKKI REYES ON:
Gray sides of art? BEST DATING PLACES
eat date love
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Sky’s the limit
Fun flying & Why walk when you can fly
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CO Danica JeanVLERGIRL: axamana
The International Bistro & Casino
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Unfolding Ronald Pineda
2 GLOBAL GATEWAY LOGISTICS CITY 7 SAN MIGUEL BEER OKTOBERFEST 10 OASIS HOTEL + FIELDS PLAZA SUITES CONDOTEL 11 OXFORD HOTEL 14 LEWIS GRAND HOTEL
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Gray sides of art?
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eat date love
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Behind the scenes
+ ELLA BEAUTY SALON & BODY MASSAGE
15 HOTEL VIDA + WIDUS CASINO 16 YES TO MABALACAT CITY! 17 ANGELES CITY OF ENTERTAINMENT 19 MASAYA PAMPANGA 20 FOLDED & HUNG 23 HACIENDA + CLARK HOSTEL 26 DOLLHOUSE GROUP 27 PASHA GROUP + LOLLIPOP 27 LOVE & MUSIC 28 GOLDEN NILE + CHAMPAGNE GROUP 29 BLUE GEMS + TOP VALUE + RHAPSODY 29 WILD ORCHID GROUP 30 WILD ACES POKER SPORTS CLUB + CITY HEIGHTS HOTEL
34 WILCON ‘BUILDING BIG IDEAS’ 35 ISLAND GRILL [VIA CALLE] 39 NATALIA HOTEL + JUMBO JENRA 39 AMERICA HOTEL + SASSY ‘CLOTHING ANGELENA’
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On scene
On scene
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Perry, The Musical
Is it Capampangan or Kapampangan?
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E’RE MIGHTY glad to see our readers take a second helping of Pampanga PEP. Our February issue is whole-heartedly dedicated to two events – Clark’s top crowd-drawer, the 16th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and of course, Valentine’s Day. And to especially mark this latest edition of Pampanga PEP, we tapped the skills of award-winning Kapampangan artist Nikki Reyes who painted colorful balloons on his human canvass – the lovely Danica Laxamana. Find out more of Nikki’s thoughts on his latest art work, which celebrates Clark’s top grossing tourist attraction – the hot air balloon fiesta. Also, learn from Danica what makes her heart beat faster on Valentine’s Day. Our cover girl, likewise, gives Pampanga PEP readers a glimpse of what her ideal man is and what could sweep this single and available damsel off her feet. Still on Valentine’s Day, contributing writer Roxanne Estrellado-Limjoco shares her top choices of restaurants to visit on “Happy Heart’s Day” in this month’s “Pepe’s Top Picks.” Meanwhile, Sab Esguerra contributes another exciting story, this time on fun flying featuring her breathtaking experience on an ultralight plane courtesy of the Angeles City Flying Club. Since February also celebrates the “Centennial Year of Airplanes in the Philippine Skies,” I went flying, myself, and conquered the world famous volcano, Mt. Pinatubo, via Omni Aviation’s “Pinatubo Sky Tour.” As you tour Pampanga’s landscape while browsing through our pages, you might ask yourself “is it Capampangan or Kapampangan?” Well, Mabalacat town’s very own Robby Tantingco of the Center for Kapampangan Studies sheds light on this question. Surely, you will enjoy Ana Marie C. Alfelor and Ruston Ocampo Banal’s review of Perry, the Musical – a story of a young man who makes a choice between spiritual fulfillment and worldly accomplishments. Truly, another Kapampangan masterpiece from playwright Randy del Rosario and director/composer Andy Alviz. So read on and happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! —PETER C. ALAGOS
EVENTS
Sky’s the limit WORDS: ASHLEY MANABAT PHOTOGRAPHY: RIC GONZALES
THOSE COLORFUL light bulb-shaped balloons are at it again. Pervading Clark skies once more are at least 28 balloons participating in the 16th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival (PIHABF) held at the Clark Freeport from Feb. 10 to 13. This year’s event is expected to draw thousands of spectators to Clark to witness international and local pilots showcase their skills in hot air ballooning. Aside from the balloons, some 50 local and international airplanes will be flying to the Clark Freeport to join the PIHABF, which also celebrates the “Centennial Year of airplanes in the Philippine Skies.” At least 20 international planes from Asia and Europe and 30 local aircraft will be participating in the four-day PIHABF at the Philippine Air Force ADAC Hangar. What makes this year’s event more colorful and exciting is the participation of several novelty-shaped balloons, including one that is shaped like the head of “Darth Vader” from the Star Wars franchise. Aside from the hot air balloon fly-in and fly-outs, spectators can also enjoy other fun-filled activities. Pilot Tonet Rivera, who is this year’s PIHABF “air boss,” said other activities during the event include micro-light aircraft and rocketry demonstrations, small plane fly-bys and fly-ins, remote-
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EVENTS controlled airplane and helicopter flying exhibitions, freestyle aerobatics and acrobatics display, precision maneuvers, light airplane balloon bursting, ultra-light flying formation and flour bomb dropping with audience participation, aeromodeling symposium and races between ultra lights and motorcycles. In celebration of the Centennial year of aircraft movement in the country, Pampanga PEP attempts to trace the origins of this mammoth tourism activity and the significant people responsible for bringing the hot air balloon fiesta to the Clark Freeport. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 and its subsequent lahar events left much devastation in Central Luzon especially in Pampanga where infrastructures were destroyed and even entire villages buried by lahar. The widespread devastation did not spare Clark Air Base which is just a few kilometers from the angry volcano. Officers and personnel of the United States 13th Air Force and their dependents based in Clark hurriedly left for evacuation abandoning the military base. And the non renewal of the Military Bases Agreement by the Philippine Senate in the following year finally sealed the fate of Clark Field. Three years after the eruption, nothing seemed to move in the region. Clark Field grew desolate. Everything was at a standstill. It was this grim scenario that prompted then Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Mina Gabor to think of ways to once again spur economic development in Central Luzon by means of the tourism infrastructure. Thus, in 1994, Secretary Gabor summoned Regional Director Ronaldo “Ronnie� Tiotuico to her office in Manila to tell him of her plan to jumpstart the local economy by conducting a hot air balloon fiesta in the region. Secretary Gabor and Tiotuico then met with Korean businessman and hot air balloon pilot Sung Kee Paik, and British Airways General Manager John Emery to plan for the event and scout for a possible location where to hold it. According to Tiotuico, they went to Subic but the sea port would not be suitable for such an event because of the maritime landscape. Then they went to Clark. With its vast tracts of land and an almost unobstructed view of the landscape, Korean balloonist Sung and Briton Emery agreed they found the perfect site. It will mark the resurgence of Clark. Soon, with the full support of Secretary Gabor, Tiotuico was laying the groundwork for the first hot air balloon fiesta in Clark. With Sung and Emery helping with the technical aspect of the project, Tiotuico successfully engineered the first Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival with about 13 balloonists from all over the world joining the event. It was the start of ballooning as an aviation sports in the country and making the Philippines
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EVENTS one of the leading sports aviation and travel destinations in the AsiaPacific region and the rest of the world. According to records, “the success of the festival in 1994 brought about an increase in the number of participants in 1995 to 27 balloons including a basketless one-man balloon and two entries from the Philippines. The 1995 festival also saw the introduction of ultra light planes to the events.” In 1996, other aero-sports activities were included in the festival like sky diving, paragliding, motorized hang gliding, remote controlled model aircraft (aero modelers) and kite flying lending a more festive atmosphere to the now popular event. In 1997, during a meeting in Manila, Secretary Gabor announced that the government can no longer sustain the holding of the annual festival and asked the private sector for help. It was at this point that Air Ads, Inc. under Captain Jose Mari “Joi” C. Roa, who is also an avid licensed balloon pilot, took over the helm of the Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. In 1998, the growing popularity of the festival was expanded to include aerobatic stunts and precision maneuvers courtesy of the Blue Diamonds and later the Red Aces of the Philippine Air Force became a regular attraction of the festival. The following year, however, the balloon fiesta was plagued by “the financial difficulties of 1999 that led to the cancellation of the festival. A resurgence in 2000 was marked by the presence of 12 balloons and 18 light planes from Thailand, Japan and Singapore, with powered fleet all participating in an air rally which has become a regular component of the festivities.” It was in 2003 that spectators saw a change in the traditional ballooning format. Specially designed balloons in the shape of a flying newspaper from Korea and a large dog from Japan made their debut over the Pampanga skyline. Balloonists from Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Holland, Czechoslovakia, and the Netherlands drew crowds from around the world. Since its inception in 1994, the annual event has become a popular attraction which has drawn tourists from all over the world. Based on statistics, hotel occupancy has increased tenfold during the holding of the festival. The Aeta communities in the outlying areas of Clark have greatly benefitted from the festival by selling souvenirs and other indigenous items from their own booths inside the festival area to tourists.
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Truly a world class event, the annual Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark has made a mark not only in Central Luzon and the Philippines but all over the world of aviation sports as envisioned by the DOT’s Secretary Gabor and Tiotuico with the able support of Sung and Emery in 1994. Today, the Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta has become part of the local tradition imbued with Kapampangan culture that has been a catalyst to Pampanga’s rapid development. PEP
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Fun Flying WORDS: SAB ESGUERRA PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER C. ALAGOS
SHARING THE limelight with more than 28 hot air balloons this February at the site of the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival (PIHABF) is a fleet of unique aircraft that will surely bring more thrill and excitement to your “weekend of everything that flies.” From February 10 to 13, the Angeles City Flying Club (ACFC) is again adding another treat to the balloon fiesta inside the Clark Freeport – ultralight flying. If you happen to miss the early morning flight of hot air balloons, then worry not because for the rest of the day, ultralight planes will take to the air and decorate Clark skies with their colorful wings and unique shape. Flying in a hot air balloon is usually limited to its pilot. For spectators who want to fly around Clark or for those who are craving to get a glimpse of what the outskirts of Angeles City look like from above, then ultralight flying is for you. ACFC Manager Tony Willis said the club is offering Trial Instructional Flights or TIFs, which gives anyone the chance to fly at a low altitude in an open aircraft, meaning the plane does not have any canopy. Yup! You got that right— it’s just you and the wind, baby. Trial Instructional Flights are pegged at a minimum rate of P1,650 and gives a passenger at least 10 to 12 breathtaking minutes of fun flying. Depending on the duration of the flight, Willis said
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TIF rates vary and may go up to P3,700 for a 30 to 35-minute flight or P6,500 for an exciting full hour. Willis clarified that ultralight flying isn’t as expensive as most people think: “It’s just like renting a jet ski. But unlike a jet ski, your movements are confined. The ultralight takes you farther and further giving you a unique and exciting experience considering that the rental cost for an hour’s ride is no different from that of a jet ski.” The ACFC is a non-profit flying club and flying school that is dedicated to promoting ultralight flying among both members and non-members. Since 1993, the club has maintained a high record of safety. It is also home to at least 32 sports aeroplanes, which include aircraft like the Quicksilver MXL II Sport 503 and 582 engines, Drifter, and the Rans S-12. During interview at the ACFC base, Pampanga PEP hooked up with pilot Tonet Rivera, the ‘air boss’ of this year’s balloon fiesta. Rivera said the ACFC is taking a huge part in the PIHABF activities that include micro-light aircraft and rocketry demonstrations, small plane fly-bys and fly-ins, remote-controlled airplane and helicopter flying exhibitions, freestyle aerobatics and acrobatics display, precision maneuvers, light airplane balloon bursting, ultra-light flying formation and flour bomb dropping with audience participation, aero-modeling symposium and races between ultra lights and motorcycles. The ACFC is based at the Woodland Airpark in Talimundok, Sta. Maria, Magalang. Visit their website at www. angelesflying.com for more details. PEP
FEATURE
Why walk when you can fly WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER C. ALAGOS
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MONTH THE Clark Freeport is celebrating the “Centennial Year of Airplanes in the Philippine Skies.” So if you want to get anywhere, better get there in style.
Don’t walk. Instead, fly. So where’s the best place to fly at this time of the year? Here’s a neat suggestion: Try Mt. Pinatubo. Forget the arduous trek, the heat of the sun, and the drudgery of carrying a backpack. While trekking has been the norm for most sports enthusiasts and tourists, walking is not the only way to see the infamous Mt. Pinatubo and its majestic crater. Omni Aviation, bruited about as one of the country’s premier aviation school, has also been offering the Pinatubo Sky Tour as an easy alternative for adventurers who have longed to see and experience the majesty of a volcano that ravaged Pampanga and other provinces in the Central Luzon region in 1991. Cora Guevarra, Omni Aviation’s general manager, said the Pinatubo Sky Tour is an offshoot of the company’s Clark and Subic-based flying schools, founded by Captain Ben Hur Gomez. She said Omni Aviation, nestled at the heart of the Clark Freeport Zone, boasts of a fleet of Cessna aircraft that are used for the sky tour and for various flying courses that include private pilot course, commercial pilot course, flight instructor course, and instrument rating course. Flight instructor Captain Anthony Santos, who flies passengers onboard a 145-horse power, four-seater Cessna 172, is in charge of the sky tour. He said the 45-minute tour, costing P5,000 per passenger, provides ample time to view mountainous terrain, cascading lahars canyons that traverse the Sacobia River, and the greenish backdrop of Pinatubo’s crater lake. Santos, a B.S. Tourism graduate who fell in love with flying, stressed that the Pinatubo Sky Tour can be an unforgettable flying experience. “It does not only give passengers the opportunity to see Mt. Pinatubo from an aerial perspective but also allows them to enjoy the Central Luzon landscape, which includes parts of Zambales province and the periphery of the Clark Freeport,” Santos said. According to Guevarra, the sky tour is available any time of the year except during the rainy season and inclement weather. She said peak season for the sky tour usually starts from September and runs until summer. OMNI Aviation is located along M. A. Roxas Highway inside Clark. Visit their website at www.omniaviation.com.ph. PEP
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PLACES
THE INTERN BISTR WORDS: J. ABELARDO F. PUNZALAN PHOTOGRAPHY: BORJ MENESES
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ALKING INTO THIS PLACE, one can’t help but be reminded of that fictional bar ‘Cheers’ from the hugely popular TV show of the same name in the ‘80s to the early ‘90s. The mammoth Irish pub-inspired bar at the center of the room, the pool tables and dart boards in one corner, the sports memorabilia hung around the walls, and the cozy and friendly atmosphere “where everybody (it seems) knows your name”-- it all conspires to transport you into one of those endearingly comic bar scenes from the American sitcom that catapulted Woody Harrelson, Ted Danson and Kirstie Alley to Hollywood stardom. Having such a different and unique feel, the International Bistro and Casino is such a wonderful surprise near and around the entertainment district of Fields Avenue in Balibago, Angeles City. In a place where you practically have hundreds, if not thousands, of bars that compete for attention, The International stands out as ‘one of its kind.’ “We are quite confident we are the only one of this kind around here. Our concept is that in one single venue, Dad could be enjoying himself playing poker at our private gaming room (the Wild Aces) or trying his luck at the online betting station, Junior could be having a drink or two with his barkada as they watch the NBA (basketball) or other sports, while Mom and her friends help themselves to a hearty lunch or dinner prepared by our world-class chef (Verson Galarian, a Kapampangan native) as they catch up on American Idol or some cable TV series,” said Eric Morrison. Eric Morrison, of course, is one-half of ‘a duo of cool American dudes’ now running The International. The other
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PLACES
NATIONAL RO & CASINO half is Tim Reynolds, a retired, successful lawyer who after his many travels to all sorts of exotic destinations around the world decided not only to stay in the Philippines but also make a lifetime investment around here. And it is Tim Reynolds who further explains the secret behind The International’s distinctive brand of entertainment and service: “We knew that in this highly-competitive business of food and entertainment, it takes more than the amount of your investment on quality furniture, excellent amenities and excellent menu just to stand-out and be patronized. What matters more is the customer satisfaction that you make sure of, the goodwill that you create, and the loyalty that you breed.” “Knowing this, I was convinced we would be successful because of our Filipino employees who I just love for their dedication and commitment that goes beyond their work. We love the Philippines, Angeles City and the Filipinos who are naturally hospitable and go out of their way to please people, especially the customers.” “I have been to many different countries and known different people and I can say that it is the Filipinos who are generally decent, easy to get along with and defendable if only you will give them the opportunity to be trusted.” Eric Morrison adds that, aside from their staple American style lunch and dinner menu, they are now focused on promoting The International as the city’s breakfast center with unique offerings both for local and foreign customers. “We find it logical to be perhaps some kind of a ‘Breakfast Club’ in the city since we operate on a 24-hour basis,” he says. Still, Eric Morrison advises that first-time folks at The International should never miss out trying their famous steaks lavished with home-made secret sauces that even President Noynoy Aquino is known to be an avid fan of, especially during his campaign sorties into the province in 2010’s presidential elections. Chef Verson Galarian explains that most ingredients that go into their
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that dur AS HERE! It in incumbe g the hectic day is no urban legen s n d passed u t President Benig of his 2010 cam p p on a ch a n ign, o ‘N oyn wheneve a r he and nce to dine at T oy ’ Aquino rare he ly his entou rage are International in town.
specialized dishes are imported, fresh and carefully picked. “You surely get value for your money because of our huge American-sized servings, quality of the dishes, all cooked and customized to your taste,” chef says. And because of all the right moves and attitude that Tim Reynolds and Eric Morrison have done so far, The International has slowly grown a reputation among people, local residents and foreign expats alike, as a place to enjoy not only good food but also good company “where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.” PEP
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PEOPLE
WORDS: J. ABELARDO F. PUNZALAN PHOTOGRAPHY: BORJ MENESES
Unfolding Ronald Pineda NOT TOO MANY people know that the driving spirit behind the successful chain of fashion apparel stores across the country, Folded & Hung and Jellybean, is a Kapampangan, is an Angeleño, is a doctor by profession. Not too many know Dr. Ronald Pineda, licensed dentist and certified fashion trendsetter. With over 90 or so outlets now in shopping malls and superstores, F&H president and CEO Ronald Pineda is also a highly regarded Filipino entrepreneur. Already a recipient of the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award, he was last year’s finalist for SGV’s Entrepreneur of the Year in league with marquee names in business such as Antonio Meloto (Gawad Kalinga), Edgar Sia (Mang Inasal) and Anthony Huang (Store Specialists). Yet, he admits, being in business wasn’t what his loving father originally intended for him. “It was my father’s wishes that I finish dentistry (from the University of the East) which I did, naman. But then, even as a student, I have always had a knack for selling things to my classmates and friends like sandwiches and small stuffs to make extra baon,” Ronald Pineda says. Such pre-occupation with “direct marketing” soon evolved into joining flea markets (or tiangge) and along the way learning the intricacies and secrets of the cut-throat retail industry. Through the prodding of his circle of friends in the entertainment, fashion and modelling worlds, Ronald Pineda was persuaded into developing and launching his own brand that will cater to young professionals aged 18 to 35 belonging to the upper and middle class or simply to those “who love and breathe fashion and are in tune with the latest trends on the runways.” “I owe a lot to my friends who were very supportive in every way imaginable, including celebrity endorsers who helped popularize F&H.” Today, F&H and Jellybean has a rightful claim to being a major fashion trendsetter label. The secret? “What sets us apart is that our brand and our marketing efforts are all in line with our company’s ideals, visions and values. My secret is that I believe and put into practice the values of Teamwork (One Family, One Goal), Integrity (Our Name is Our Guarantee), Malasakit (Your Business, Our Business), and Excellence or simply to be the best out there,” Ronald Pineda tells. PEP
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PEOPLE WORDS: PETER C. ALAGOS PHOTOGRAPHY: BORJ MENESES PEP: How long have you been doing body painting? NIKKI: “Dati ko na kasi ginagawa yun eh kaya para sa akin pangkaraniwan lang na trabaho ang pag-bo-body paint. Pagpipinta rin kasi siya nga lang iba ang canvass na ginamit.” PEP: When was the first time you used a human canvass? NIKKI: “That was several years ago in an event at the Swagman Hotel. Though that was my first time to do a body painting project, it wasn’t my first time to see someone in the nude. I’ve been doing nude painting or sketching sessions from as far back as my college days which is why seeing a nude model didn’t make the experience any difficult.” PEP: What was the theme you used for the Swagman project? NIKKI: “Wala. Walang tema. Pero dahil buong araw akong nagpipinta, pinuno ko ng design yung buong katawan nung model.” “Akala nga nila professional ako, eh (laughing).” Kasi mga foreigner yung nag-organize nung event. Eh di yun, kinocover nila yung event. Ako nga lang iniinterview nila.” “’Is this your first time?’ tanong nila. Sabi ko ‘Yes, this is my first time.’ So, ayun. Ganun lang. Kasi di ba panay ko ginagawa everyday— drawing, painting, designing…iisa yung creative process. It does not matter kung ang nagpapagawa niyan ay congressman or barangay tanod. Same yung creative process. PEP: Speaking of the creative process, what preparations did you make for the Pampanga PEP cover issue this month? NIKKI: “Nag-plano ako sana na makagawa ng research eh kaso nawalan ako ng time.” PEP: So it was some sort of an “on-thespot” thing for you? NIKKI: “Oo. Pero ano kasi yun di ba… nag-wo-work na yung mind mo kapag sinabi sa iyo na ganito yan, nag-wo-work na yung mind mo.” PEP: While painting Danica’s body were you struggling to gather your ideas? NIKKI: “Hindi. Hindi naman ganun. Ano lang, masyadong maikli yung oras ko para maka-pag pintura. Dapat isang araw. Yung maghapon ba. Mag-mula umaga. Sana ginawa dun sa studio ko tapos eh kahit
Gray sides of art?
dinala ko na lang kay Borj na tapos na.” “Kung nagka-ganoon, mas intricate [yung design]. Mas elaborate yung painting. Pero okay na rin.” PEP: Have you ever been to the hot air balloon fest? NIKKI: “Oo. Yung pinaka-unang balloon fest andun ako. Actually, ako yung nagdesign nung unang logo.” PEP: When Pampanga PEP tapped you for this project, how did you respond to the concept of having hot air balloons painted on a model’s body? NIKKI: “Wala. Okay lang.” PEP: For this month’s issue, the magazine’s editorial board wanted to create something that’s out of the ordinary, hence the body paint concept. You think it was totally out-of-the-box? NIKKI: “Hindi eh. Paano naging ano yun di ba? Ginagawa na [yun], although hindi ganun kadalas di ba? Pero anong problema doon? Wala naman problema doon.” PEP: How would you react if people would say that the concept was pornographic? NIKKI: “It’s expected siguro. Di ba you cannot please everybody? Pero ang dami ko na rin kasi na-experience na ganyan.” “For one project sa Casino Filipino. One of the statues I built for the casino’s interior drew some criticisms kasi litaw yung nipples. Eh binigyan ako ng instruction na takpan ko yung nipple, pinalalagyan ng bulaklak or tela para di makita, ganun.” PEP: So what did you do? NIKKI: “Ang ginawa ko dinedma ko lang. Parang wala ako narinig. Continue lang ako sa trabaho ko. Nung sa mga sumunod na meeting napansin nila na may nipple pa rin so nagsalita ako sabi ko ‘Sir, nipple lang yun. Ano’ng problema sa nipple? Kahit tayo may nipple tayo.’” “So finally sabi nila ‘Kung according kay Nikki na okay yan, eh di okay yan. Di ba art naman yan?’” PEP: In the case of our cover photo this month, will you be offended by any negative reactions? How does that affect you as an artist? NIKKI: “Hindi. Hindi ako na-o-offend. Importante may reaction, di ba?” “Ang sa akin lang, basta’t gagawin mo lahat in good taste. Kaya, ano…minsan nagiging porno. Wala naman akong nakikitang problema dun sa ginawa natin. Basta professional lahat, di ba?”
FOR THE most part, we did not want to use file photos from previous balloon festivals in our cover page for this month’s issue. Hence, we decided to come up with a concept that is fresh but at the same time as hot as the heat that propels these spectacular balloons to the big blue. So we decided to call on award-winning Kapampangan artist Nikki Reyes, who spared a few hours of his busy schedule to paint colorful hot air balloons onto cover girl Danica Laxamana’s body. On page are excerpts of Nikki’s thoughts on his latest project with Pampanga PEP. FEBRUARY 2011 | PAMPANGA PEP
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PAMPANGA
www.pampangapep.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: BORJ MENESES
DANICA JEAN LAXAMANA FEBRUARY 2011
cover girl DANICA JEAN LAXAMANA
behind the scenes WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER C. ALAGOS
bEEN DYING to take a peek of our cover girl this month? Well, she’s no other than 20-year old Danica Jean Laxamana, who hails from Macabebe town in Pampanga but is now based in Angeles City working as an Assistant Director of DM Residente. The sole breadwinner of the family, Danica is the youngest of four girls to parents Frank and Angelina Laxamana, who are all now based in Apalit town with their adopted 5-year old brother. She recently completed a Hotel and Restaurant Services course at Eastwoods International in Apalit town and is enjoying her career in the hotel and hospitality industry. Though basically a neophyte in the modeling world, Danica boasts of a thorough experience in beauty pageants having joined competitions like Ms. Body Shots, Body Summit, and Bikini Open. Surely, you’re itching to know more of this sweet, candid, and bubbly damsel so sit back and relax and browse through our question and answer with Pampanga PEP’s February cover girl, Danica Laxamana: PAMPANGA PEP: Were you anxious to wear a bikini for the first time? DANICA: (Smiling) “No. I’m confident with how I look. Surprisingly, I did not feel inhibited or timid about wearing bikinis.” PEP: So how did you feel? DANICA: “Wala. Feeling ko ang ganda ganda ko. (Laughs) Feeling ko ang sexy ko.” PEP: Tell our readers what was going through your mind during the preparations for the magazine’s cover photo. DANICA: “All the while I thought we were a group of models who will be part of a body painting project…Turns out there was no one else involved but me…And I was surprised to see other members of PEP
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while you guys were talking about making me the cover photo.” “Which was why my friend, Alice, was asking me, ‘What cover?’ And I just told her ‘Di ko alam basta huwag ka na lang magtanong, wala naman tayong kasamang iba.’” “When I was getting ready for the body painting session, Alice asked me if I was nervous to wear a two-piece bikini. I said: ‘Di naman ako magtu-two-piece, muret! (Laughing) Wala akong damit!’” PEP: So what was really going on in your mind then? DANICA: “Sa totoo lang, I was actually more worried for you guys hahahahahaha!” “I was wondering if it was okay with you guys if I just simply take off my clothes in front of the group…I wasn’t even thinking na ‘Ay, nahihiya ako or nakakahiya naman…’” “I was more uncomfortable for the group rather than for myself. Iniisip ko baka naiilang kayo if nandiyan kayo habang ginagawa yung body paint.” “Kaya nung tinanong ni Borj (Meneses) kung okay lang ako I just smiled but when he decided to let everybody out during the painting session hinayaan ko na lang siya.” PEP: Were you satisfied after seeing the result of Nikki’s painting? DANICA: “Hindi pa nga tapos I was telling myself ‘Wow, ang ganda!’”
cover girl “My reaction pa nga was ‘Base pa lang ito?’ after Nikki told me that he was hardly half way into the painting.” PEP: Did you experience any difficulties during the painting session? DANICA: “Yes. I had to raise my arms most of the time to allow the artist to paint around my body. Nakakangawit yun. But since I liked how the design turned out I was telling myself ‘Hay, nag-e-enjoy ako, nag-e-enjoy ako!’” PEP: Aren’t you worried that you might get in trouble with your parents by posing for Pampanga PEP? DANICA: “I have my parents’ trust. They know that when I embark on something, I know what I’m doing which is why I’m not worried about this project.” PEP: Let’s slightly deviate from the previous line of questions because I’d like to let our readers know what are your plans this coming Valentine’s Day. DANICA: (Smiling sheepishly) “Valentine’s Day? Quite frankly, I really don’t have any plans for Valentine’s Day.” PEP: So what you’re saying is that you don’t have a boyfriend? DANICA: “Nope.” PEP: No invites for a date? DANICA: “Meron. Though I’m really not that sure if they’re ‘sincere’ offers kasi pa-joke yung approach which is why I also take them as a joke.” “Another thing is baka lang siguro di rin ako sanay nakikipag-date pag Valentine’s Day.”
“For the past two years I’ve been spending Valentine’s Day with my best friend. Apparently, my best friend now has a boyfriend and it’s her first time to share the occasion with a boyfriend so I suppose I’ll be spending Valentine’s Day all by myself.” PEP: Then it’s somewhat timely to tell our readers that you’re available, don’t you think? DANICA: “Well, (giggling) okay here’s the real score: I’m actually seeing someone right now but there’s really no serious commitment between the two of us. He was introduced to me by my second cousin.” PEP: What’s your ideal guy? DANICA: “I like guys who are pakipot…the hardto-get-type (giggles).” PEP: Are you the type who jumps into a relationship right away? DANICA: “No. I’d like to take things slow. I feel much better if I’m really sure with what I want… Although there had been an instance where I followed my heart and not my head and got quickly into a relationship. And surprisingly, it lasted for about a year – longest relationship I had so far. For me one year, that’s too long for a typical relationship.” PEP: What’s your shortest relationship? DANICA: (Giggling) “Yiiihhh…one month.” PEP: At this time of the month most evenings are very cold because of the weather. Assuming you’re spending Valentine’s Day with your boyfriend, how do you plan to make the occasion “extra warm” for him?
DANICA: “Aba, dapat ba ako pa ang gumawa nun? (Laughs) Feeling ko dapat siya mag-isip nun. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I really haven’t experienced a romantic date yet (giggles). There was a time I asked myself why do my friends get to experience these romantic dates tapos heto ako ang ganda-ganda ko tapos ako walang date na ganun?” (laughs out loud) PEP: What’s an ideal romantic date for someone like you? DANICA: “I’d like to be treated to dinner na fine dining. And flowers, of course…some wine, a candlelight dinner…yung ganoon.” PEP: Let’s wrap up the discussion by going back to the cover photo. While most people would consider posing for magazines as something vain, what more posing for a magazine half naked with hot air balloons painted on your body. So in your case how do you describe your photo in Pampanga PEP’s cover this month? DANICA: “The whole time during the body painting session up to the photo shoot I wasn’t even thinking that ‘Uy…makikita nila picture ko’ or that this would be a good opportunity for me to get exposure. “Instead, I felt that I was able to help two artists. Feeling ko natulungan ko si Borj at natulungan ko yung painter to express their art.” “By modeling for Borj, I sincerely believed I was able to help him express his art as a photographer and in like manner, by being Nikki’s human canvas I was able to help him express his ideas as a painter.” PEP
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PEPE’S TOP PICKS WORDS: ROXANNE ESTRELLADO-LIMJOCO PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN MAGAT & BORJ MENESES
B E ST DATI N G P LAC E S I N PA M PA N GA
eat date love
W
HEN I was asked to write about the ten best places to go on a date here in Pampanga, I was stumped! I didn’t want to do it. First of all, I no longer go on “dates”. I have been married for over two decades, and I’m not sure if eating out with my husband is still considered a “date”. Second, I am not a true blue Capampangan. Does living here for 21 years give me the right to claim that I am? Third, I am geographically challenged! So how can I even show you the way to these best dating places? Last, I am not a foodie. I do not cook. But I do eat… a lot! And for that reason alone, I have accepted the challenge. After the holidays, the next big thing is Valentine’s Day. ‘Tis the season to be romantic, as they say. For the young and in love, the month of February is filled with different cheesy gimmicks for their significant others— from a dozen roses to a box of chocolates to a love concert to a candlelight dinner to a secret getaway. For the older and wiser, on the other hand, it still is a season of love sans the extravagance, the expenditure and the hullabaloo. Since I belong to that “older and wiser” group, Valentine’s Day for me now consists of having a simple dinner with family and friends. What used to be a selfish feeling of wanting to be spoiled and pampered has been replaced by a wonderful selfless feeling of
sharing the day with the whole family and a bunch of friends. Dating places for me now would depend on our mood, our craving and our budget. The best thing about living in Pampanga is the ease of finding good food. It can be found in a shack on a street corner. It can be located in a lavish hotel. It can just be in a friend’s kitchen. Rest assured all your gastronomical wants and needs will still be met and satisfied. And as for that elusive ‘love match’ some people are still searching for, these top dating places may just do the trick. For as it is often said: “The way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach.” Here goes are top choices in no particular order.
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C’ ITALIAN DINING. When we want to dress up and
IGUANA’S. Formerly Zapata’s, my kids and I never tire of
experience a bit of fine dining, this is where we go to. Famous for their panizza and probably one of the best Italian restos in the country.
Mexican food especially one as authentic as theirs. Top it off with pina colada, mojito or an iced cold Corona beer and you’re good to go.
HALLA. Same goes with Korean restaurants right? Then after dinner, go to the convenience store beside it and try their local ice cream!
NIJI. How do you know the Japanese restaurant you go to is good? When there are many Japanese inside! Such is the case with Niji. HAI!!!
SIAM HOUSE. If there’s one place that my husband and I visit once a week, it is this restaurant. They truly are the “House of the Finest Thai Cuisine”. Kap kun ka!!!
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FORTUNE SEAFOOD. Just like any Filipino family, you can never go wrong with Chinese food. You can never get enough of Chao fàn!
VFW. This is my kids’ favorite American canteen. And no matter how many dishes they offer, my children would order the same thing, S.O.S., short for SH%# On a Shingle.
CIOCCOLO. When we want to eat al fresco, and far from the hustle and bustle of the city, we drive to this cozy café. Their Crème Brulee Cheesecake is to die for!
ISLAND GRILL [VIA CALLE].
The best kept ‘secret’ dating place hereabouts! Expect everything you love about CALLE restaurant in Balibago-- now, bring it all outdoors for a romantic setting under the moon, the stars and overlooking a man-made lake. Savor the good food and good music for that perfect ‘love mood.’
MARANAO GRILL.
It’s our home away from home. We have been coming to this restaurant for over 20 years now. Well known for their steak and their weekly dinner buffet of roast beef, roast lamb and prime rib.
DC MARKET GRILL. This is my family and friends’ favorite hangout. Their name says it all…, delicious and cheap Pinoy food plus the convenience of being very close to our homes.
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THE CODE TO YOUR BEST KEPT SECRET DATING PLACE IN PAMPANGA
ISLAND GRILL [VIA CALLE] ALONG C. M. RECTO HIGHWAY (NEAR FONTANA RESORT), CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, PAMPANGA, PHILIPPINES
on scene
CASINO WIDUS
FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY
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on scene
DOLLHOUSE GROUP ‘Year of the Rabbit’ Celebrations
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PAMPANGA GOLFERS ASSOCIATION
on scene
Induction of Officers & Awarding Ceremonies
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A perfect place for a pleasant stay.... All rooms furnished with modern facilities such as CATV, DVD player, refrigerator, microwave oven, safety deposit box, and WIFI technology. Enjoy good food at our restaurant or stay with friends and visitors at our lobby. Also available: money changer booth with the best rates in town, convenience store, & internet cafe. Address: L4/B2 Fields Ave., Balibago, Angeles City | +(6345) 892-0661 or 625-6278 | Email: napartelle@yahoo.com | Website: www.nataliahotel.webs.com
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review
Perry, The Musical
WORDS: ANA MARIE C. ALFELOR & RUSTON O. BANAL JR. | PHOTOGRAPHY: RUSTON O. BANAL JR.
T EATRU IMA at Arti (IMaArti) once again graces the stage with an offering that inspires righteous pride in the Kapampangan artist. Perry, the Musical, is a rich depiction of the battle between personal happiness and social expectations— between spiritual fulfillment and worldly accomplishments. The musical’s impressive world and words were written by the talented Randy del Rosario and are brought to life onstage with a masterful balance of profoundness and humor under the gifted direction and musical genius of Andy Alviz. Thrust in the midst of a very personal yet universal battle is the young Perry— who is torn between a calling to the selfless vocation of a priest and a pull towards the economically-rewarding life of an engineer. Rooting for the priesthood is Perry’s devout Catholic mother, Perla, who embodies the town’s deep respect for priests. In Perla, we see echoes of the old belief that a priest in the family brings that family within the protective cloak of God. To her, the priesthood seems the noble— if not, logical— choice. Perry is the most prayerful and well-behaved among her children. On the other hand, Perry’s father, Ricardo, is set on his son’s becoming an engineer. A construction worker in Saudi, Ricardo pours sweat and blood to his son’s engineering education, not knowing that Perry has entered the seminary. We cringe inside as we anticipate the inevitable family confrontation just before Perry is ordained. We join Perry in his journey of self-discovery and discover a little about ourselves as he wavers between happiness and duty, between spiritual and monetary fulfillment, between culture and modernism. In the process, we shift between profound thought and delight as the cast delivers one beautifully-crafted line after another and breaks into delightful song and dance. We are also treated to a revealing glimpse of life within the imposing, secretive walls of the seminary— the daily prayers, the manual labor, the anguish and the longings, as well as the doubts and the triumphs of those who have bravely heeded the call and continue to find their way towards the Caller. With Perry, the Musical, one will not find a more truthful portrayal of the seminarian. The actors themselves are real-life seminarians from the Mother of Good Counsel Seminary. Fr. Aries Maniago plays Ricardo, while Fr. Ted Valencia plays Perry’s confidante, Among Billy— the voice of reason and faith. The audience is in for a treat as San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto makes an appearance. The amazing ladies of IMaArti, led by Agnes Romero who plays Perla with exquisite sensitivity, play the various roles of townsfolk, nuns, and “dagis pisamban”— literally, “church rats,” referring to old maids and widows who are mainstays of the church, filling in the musical’s cultural sketch with their colorful talk and personalities amid a backdrop of litanies and Hail Mary’s. Playwright Randy del Rosario and director/composer Andy Alviz truly outdid themselves this time. To those who want to be reminded of the Kapampangan’s world-class artistry, Perry, the Musical is a must-see. PEP FEBRUARY 2011 | PAMPANGA PEP
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perspectives
ABOUT ROBBY TANTINGCO.
Robby Tantingco is a native of Mabalacat, Pampanga. Concurrently the Assistant Vice President for Student Services and Affairs of the Holy Angel University in Angeles City and Director of the Juan D. Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies, Robby’s research and extensive writing stints in various publications has made him one of the province’s leading advocates for the preservation and propagation of the Kapampangan language and culture.
Is it Capampangan or Kapampangan?
immortal zarzuelas, comedias and corridos of Juan Crisostomo Soto, Anselmo Fajardo, Felix Galura, Pabalan Byron, Monico Mercado, etc.? Re-spell all the c’s and q’s into k? What right do we have do tamper with the works of the masters? But the c defenders are wrong in saying that k orthography cannot rise to the level of classics because WORDS: ROBBY TANTINGCO indeed, the greatest Kapampangan writers of the 20th century used k. Aside from Tolentino, there was Amado LOT of people are urging us to hold a summit to settle, once and for Yuzon and Jose Gallardo and Zoilo Hilario and Rosario all, the Great Orthography Debate which they say impedes not only the Baluyut and hundreds of modern Kapampangan writers propagation of the language but also the unity of Kapampangans. who use k. It’s hard enough to convince our kabalen to speak Kapampangan, Thus, our literary heritage is divided into the old why make it harder by confusing them with spelling? classics that use c and the contemporary classics that use k. Proponents of the k orthography argue that it’s easier to spell, that Instead of looking at it as a curse, I think we should be it’s native, not borrowed from the colonizers, and that it’s older. grateful for it because it enriches our language and makes it On the other hand, defenders of the c orthography insist that it’s truly unique among Philippine languages. C and k are the more elegant, and that all the literary classics from the so-called Golden intertwining chromosomes of our linguistic helix; they’re Age of Kapampangan Literature used c, not k. part of our common DNA and our collective history. They are both correct, and both wrong. This is what makes the The official stand of the Center for Kapampangan debate so sticky. Studies on this never-ending debate is to, well, not even The k proponents are correct in saying it’s easier to read and try to resolve the issue. Why? write keka than queca. If we really want to make our children learn First, languages are never legislated, or decided Kapampangan, the least we can do for them is to simplify the language in summits, or imposed on a by spelling words exactly the way population. They evolve, over we pronounce them. years, decades, even centuries. No Schoolchildren will roll their single organization, institution eyes and give up if we insist that or even generation has the right, what sounds like Tuki ka kaku the authority and the power to keta should actually be written as determine the language that all Tuqui ca cacu queta. future generations should use. But the k proponents Which person or group has enough are wrong in saying that k stature to declare the writing orthography is indigenous and system of past generations null older than the c orthography. and void, and to command an Before the Spaniards came in 1571, Kapampangans used KULITAN or Sulat Kapampangan, the indigenous Kapampangan script. entire population to adopt another Image grab from Michael R. M. Pangilinan’s siuala.com writing system? neither c nor k, but an indigenous Second, forcing or rushing ourselves to choose one writing system called the kulitan (or baybayin), with vertical characters or the other will not hasten but instead sabotage the similar to Chinese and Southeast Asian orthographies. evolution of the language. I am sure one orthography will Both k and c are borrowed from the European writing system eventually prevail over the other, or maybe the two will introduced by the colonizers. C was used throughout the Spanish osmosize and produce a mutant mixed orthography. At colonial period, while k was introduced by Kapampangan writers like any rate, we should continue allowing both c and k to coAurelio Tolentino during the American colonial period. exist, and let the process naturally resolve the issue. We Thus, c orthography, which is 300 years old, is in reality older than should make our students and our children learn both k orthography, which is only a little over 100 years old. But if you want orthographies, so they can appreciate not just some but to use a truly original Kapampangan writing system, you go back to the all the classics. vertical kulitan. Most of us will continue using k, because it’s easier, Meanwhile, defenders of the c orthography are correct in their claim but there will still be many who will continue using c, that the Kapampangan classical writers (most of them anyway) used c, because it’s beautiful and nostalgic. and as a result, c looks more elegant than k. On paper, Tuki ka kaku Ultimately, it’s the man on the street, not the scholar keta does look like amphibian (kokak) language, because Kapampangan or the legislator or the poet, who will determine the future vocabulary really has a lot of k. of a language. PEP And if we all use k and drop c, what should we do with all the
A
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