Itanong mo kay Simsimi
When two roads meet
A worship and party mecca
A Mexican Mooon
FROM ASHES TO LIFE Photo by KRISTINE LOUISE L. ANDRADE
By GENESSA A. BUENAFE
D
A R K S N O W. Orange sparks. Black smoke. If only there was something else left other than this inferno she was facing; but only the smell of burning wood and plastic filled her lungs as she started to tremble. Before her mind could grasp the immensity of the damage, the place she once knew as home had already been razed to the ground. There was so much she could have done to save what was left of her home but her hands were busy at that moment, clasping all her shaking “cubs” that were clinging to her for dear life. In the past three days, she had felt the tugging of her heartstrings telling her to stay home but she never understood why until this fatal day when her house, her home, was reduced to blackened pieces of dirt beneath her feet. Now, there were only ashes. “White smoke - I saw it as
we left home to attend mass,” Rose (not her real name) said as she stood beside the Tanod Outpost, a.k.a. her temporary home. “I joked to my husband that there was a fire. We both laughed while we were riding on a jeepney.” R o s e, to g e t h e r w i t h her husband and four of her children, were going to Sta. Teresita Church at that moment when she noticed the smoke again, only bigger this time. “It was coming from the school. Don’t worry about it,” her husband told her in an attempt to calm her down; but she could feel her heart beating fast and telling her to stop and go back. “Then, I heard the siren of a fire truck that seemed to come from where our barangay is,” she said in a barely audible voice, “I had a hunch I was right.” In t h e m i d s t o f t h e D i n a g y a n g f e v e r, t h r e e villages in Iloilo City - TanzaEsperanza, Tanza-Timawa, and Malipayon-Delgado - were experiencing a different kind
of heat, the kind that could decimate entire villages and even take lives in the blink of an eye. While the more fortunate ones had no second thoughts about leaving their homes to join the merrymaking that night, 500 families, including Rose’s, watched with fear as their houses quickly turned into smoldering embers, charred ruins and acrid ashes. “The fire spread fast mainly because of the light materials that the houses in the three areas were made of. In addition, the streets were too narrow as to prevent the fire trucks from penetrating the areas where the houses were,” said FO2 Jean A. Monsale, and Insp. Victor E. Loreto from the Oton fire station, one of the units in the province that responded to the general alarm, “The fire was under control at about nine in the evening on our side of the village.” According to Iloilo City Fire Marshal Chief Insp. Jerry Berte, the fire started at around
5:20 p.m. from the residence of Renato Rosales in Bgy. Tanza, Timawa. It was apparently caused by an overheated flatiron that was left unattended because there seemed to be no one in the house at that time. The hot iron burned the spot where it was left, causing it to burst into flames. The fire quickly consumed the house and the neighboring houses spread over three villages. “Rumors have it that the person who last used the iron just couldn’t wait to join the Dinagyang festivities that night,” said Lily (not her real name), Rose’s friend and a resident of Brgy. MalipayonDelgado. “That person couldn’t even pull the plug out of the socket.” Lily’s house also caught fire even though it was the farthest from where it all started. She was home that time, cleaning the cabinets, arranging the (decorative) white stones in her garden and dusting the furniture when she heard the
news. “My nephew told me about it and even asked me what the number of the fire station was. I told him to look it up in the directory,” laughed Lily, “Then I became alarmed when I saw many people running about in panic; before I knew it, my own house was already burning down; and to think that I spent the whole day cleaning!” Sleepless nights. Haunting dreams. Waning appetites. These marked the lives of Rose and Lily for many days after the fire. Their strong hearts could bear the weight of what had happened but their children had to take almost all the blows. Rose’s youngest daughter who was three years old laughed and talked about anything but would suddenly become silent when asked about the night of the fire; while Lily’s oldest daughter, a fourth year student of the University of San Agustin, cried every time the fire was brought up in a conversation. “Then she would just study and
study despite the fact that only two of her books remained after the fire. Studying was her only outlet,” Lily said. She advises others “…to prepare, especially when the houses are just beside each other. Old but important things should be packed in small boxes and old clothes should be kept not only in heavy cabinets but also in sacks or boxes.” She further said, “I learned my lesson that night and everyone should learn it as early as now.” Life goes on for Rose and Lily and for everyone else whose life was shattered by the fire. The 500 affected families will now embark on a journey to a new life, a new beginning, holding on to the remnants of their old life: a few appliances, a bagful of clothes, and an undaunted spirit. Fo r t h e m , t h e s e a re enough… enough to blow off the ashes of despair that have clouded their lives; and to start anew under the bright sky of hope.
2 « Filipino
VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 3
MAY 15, 2012
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Itanong Mo kay Simsimi Nina FEBRIELYN S. TUMINES, HANNAH GRACE S. TABA at CHRISTINE JOY A. SABER
N
ARINIG mo na ba ang kwento tungkol sa kyut na kyut na bolang hindi mo mawari kung Pokemon ba siya o pinsan ni Mojako na may kaalamang kasing lawak ng karagatan at kahit anong tanong ay kaya niyang sagutin? ‘Yun nga lang, umiwan siya nang katanungan sa atin kung totoo ba ang mga sinasabi niya o isang malaking kalokohan katulad ng kanyang hugis, o nambobola lamang siya ng ating mga isipan. Pero hindi maitatangging kiniliti niya ang mga imahinasyon ng ilan sa atin at napa-isip, “Ano kaya ang unang itatanong ko sa kanya?” Dinumog na rin siya siguro ng mga kababaihang teenagers at siguradong nanggigil silang nagtanong nang, “Sino ang soulmate ko?”, “Crush din ba niya ako?”, at ”Magiging kami ba?” Pati nga siguro ang mga desperadang asawa ay hindi rin nagdalawang isip na nagtanong sa kanya nang…“Nangangaliwa ba siya? Sino ang kabit?” Ito na marahil ang mga dahilan kung bakit sumisikat at tume-trending ngayon ang kulay dilaw at bilog na chatting robot
na si Simsimi. Kinagiliwan siya sa mga bansa gaya ng Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, at Malaysia. “Noong una kong s i nu b u k ang gam i t i n ang Simsimi, natuwa ako kasi pwede mong lokohin ang mga kaibigan mong nag-aakalang isa siyang smart application. Gumagana siya sa simpleng paraan na tulad ng isang taong nakikipag-usap sa kapwa tao,”paliwanag ni Jingo Rodriguez, faculty member ng Information Technology Department. Ang application na ito ay isa sa mga collective intelligence services ng Simsimi Inc. Na nilikha ng ISMaker noong 2002 ngunit inilabas bilang mobile phone application noong 2010. Ito ay isang korean application na maaaring i-download ng libre sa mga iPhone, iPad at Androidbased cellphone. Isa sa mga features nito ay ang TEACH, kung saan, puwede mo siyang turuan kung ano ang isasagot niya sa mismong tanong na ikaw rin ang umimbento. Ibig sabihin, ang lahat ng mga mura o malalaswang sagot, ay hindi nanggaling sa nag-imbento
ng Simsimi application kundi sa koleksyon ng mga sagot na itinuro ng mga users nito mismo. “Isipin na lang natin na parang sanggol o isang tuta si Simsimi. Gaya ng isang tuta, pwede mo siyang turuan na mag-fetch. Kung may inihagis ka, magre-react siya. Sa ganitong paraan gumagana ang Simsimi application. Sa tatlong platforms ito maaaring magamit. Ito ay sa computer, sa android phone o sa isang iOS Product,” dagdag pa ni Rodriguez. Ayon sa International Business Times, “Kapag ang user ay nag-send ng text sa Simsimi app sa kanilang iPhone o Android device, o sa computer, sasagot ito sa pamamagitan ng automatic scanning ng ‘related’ conversations sa loob ng kanyang massive database at lalabas ang ‘relevant’ at nakakatuwang sagot. Ngunit una nang umalarma ang Ministry of Culture ng Thailand, dahil natutunan nang magbitaw ng mga malaswang salita at pagmumura sa lingguwaheng Thai ang chatbot na ito na mismong ang mga application users nito ang
nagturo. Kaya matapos ang reklamo ng mga magulang ng mga kabataang Thai, tuluyan nang na-ban ang Simsimi sa Thailand. Kaya ngayon, kapag tinanong si Simsimi sa lingguwaheng Thai, sasagot ito ng “I have no response”. Tulad ng bansang Thailand, hindi malayong masira rin ang imahe ni Simisimi dito sa Pilipinas. Gay unpaman, hindi pahuhuli sa tsismis itong si Simsimi. Maging ang mga pinakabago’t maiinit na isyu ay may mga bwelta na rin siya. Gaya na lamang kung tatanungin mo siyang “Guilty ba si Chief Justice Corona?” Iba-iba ang puwede niyang isagot at isa sa mga nakakatuwang sagot niya ay, “No comment. Takip tenga nalang at baka ipa-contempt ako ni Miriam.” Dahil nga patuloy tayo sa destinasyon ng mga posibilidad, abot-kamay na natin ang mga minsa’y naging imposible. Pero ang tanong, kaya bang tuklasin ng kaalaman ng tao ang mga misteryo’t katanungan na tanging Diyos lang ang nakakaalam ng sagot? Masasagot kaya ang mga ito ni Simsimi?
Grapiks at screenshots mula sa SIMSIMI.COM
MAY 15, 2012
By ANDRE KARL S. FACULIN
A
LONG the smoothly paved alley of the 138-yearold Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, swarms of Filipino Catholics with palm fronds and holy auras converge in this Romanesque church despite the stifling heat of the blazing sunlight. It is Palm Sunday, a special day that marks the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, signifying the beginning of a momentous religious festival. It is a scene replicated every year across the predominantly Roman Catholic nation, as faithful devotees in regions large and small celebrate Semana Santa or Holy Week, observing centuries-old traditions. Recreating key parts of the paschal mystery—from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday—the Filipino traditions of cuaresma collate the artistic, musical and physical strengths of the local communities. These Spanish-introduced-andinfluenced Catholic rituals continue to flourish despite the changing tides of
Religion » 3
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When Two Roads Meet
time. Many communities throughout the islands observe traditional events that commemorate the sufferings of our Redeemer such as the procession that relives the Passion of Christ, the Via Crucis or the Way of the Cross, the visita iglesia or the church visit, the senakulo or play that reenacts the sufferings of Christ, the Siete Palabras or the seven last words of Jesus before He died on the cross, the Pabasa or the chanting of Christ’s Pasyon, and the Salubong or the meeting of Mother Mary and her resurrected son Jesus Christ. As the years go by, however, this supposedly holy and melancholic period has been putting on a livelier mood dominated by the feeling of merriment among families and other social groups. Semana Santa, a week of quiet prayer and meditation, has been quickly changing into a week of noise, fun and escapade. The crossroad In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Catholic Bishop Camilo Gregorio of Batanes noted that “most
people were looking forward to the four-day break for road trips and vacation sprees instead of spending time in prayer and reflection.” “It’s sad that, to many, the Holy Week has become an occasion to go on vacation and they have forgotten its real meaning,” Gregorio said. Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz also tells the Inquirer that “little by little, the people have deviated... Instead of preparing for that purpose…, they go on vacation and have some fun. It’s really a pity.” Beaches, clubs, amusement parks and other tourist areas are top holiday destinations during this season. Ana Lourdes Regalado, a Medical Laboratory Science senior , decided to go on vacation amidst the Holy Week observances. “… Celebrating holy week in a foreign land was not planned. The trip was just really urgent because my father who was sick needed a companion…,” she explained. The long break out of the country was a chance for her to reconnect not only with God but also with her family. “Since the place is a Muslim country, you could not really feel the spirit of semana santa. Frankly speaking, I even violated some of our religious observances there”, she chuckles. “... there are no Catholic churches there, so I prayed the rosary every night and … reflected as best as I could.” “There’s no rule in Church that says you can’t go on vacation during the Holy Week because it is also a time to unwind with the family and exchange stories with one another,” Msgr. Hernando Coronel, rector of the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City, bares in an Inquirer interview. He adds, “Enjoying time with the family is also a way of pulling one’s self from materialism and individualism, which is one of the messages embodied by Holy Week. We have to go back to our values, strengthen our faith and family….” However, the Catholic Church reminds the faithful to find a special moment in the middle of recreation to visit the church, hear mass, participate in liturgical services and pray. This is supported by Gregorio saying that, “It’s an opportunity for us faithful to
have a deeper conversion and to be in communion with God through personal reflection and sacrifice.” The road less traveled? In the hours of silence, we definitely find the presence of the Lord in our midst. As the last week of Lent, it is characterized by periods of fasting, abstinence, prayer and repentance, and special liturgical services that commemorate the paschal mystery— the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), No. 1438, states that “the seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.” “The Lenten Season starts with the celebration of Ash Wednesday and lasts up to Holy Wednesday. It is just like a 40 day-retreat for us as we also commemorate Christ’s fortyday-and-night stay in the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan whom He overcame,” Fr. Antonio Reyes, a theology teacher in this University states. According to Reyes, “Lent is a must for Catholic Christians to focus on the weakness and sinfulness of man, thus overcoming himself through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Holy Week should become an avenue to discover one’s self in the serenity of his heart.” “ S e mana S anta s h o u l d b e celebrated in a place where there is
Photos by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 3
less distraction, meaning fewer friends to see, less music to hear or concerns to attend to... Some people prefer to spend semana santa in Bora but how can the place offer what the human soul and longings really need? Only a person can decide for himself which place is conducive for praying and for meditating on how he can live for Christ who died for our sake.” Road slick It is impossible to get the best of both worlds. Like oil and water, solemnity and festivity never go together. Sacrificing for the sake of God and ourselves is but a small form of penitence that we can do. But when a person reaches the point where two roads meet, he must make a decision: which is which? The road ahead Needless to say, cuaresma will turn out to be rewarding when it is celebrated to the fullest. “Wherever you may be, you can truly say you have celebrated Semana Santa well based on the ‘spiritual fruits’ that you have gained such as becoming a better person and knowing yourself more or having a better control of yourself after the Lenten Season,” Reyes says. “This can only be attained when you have truly made a lot of sacrifices to attain what you have really wanted to attain.” Reyes shares a Holy Week reflection: “Sacrifice is needed because change is costly. In knowing your true self you will also have a better grasp of what is true, noble and beautiful.”
4 « Features
VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 3
MAY 15, 2012
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Kalibo: a worship and party mecca By JESANNY I. YAP
T
HEY look like native warriors of olden days, exuding frenzied vibes, displaying festive revelry, and showing fervent adoration in honor of the Child Jesus. Dancing to the rhythmic beats of the drums and the metallic notes of the xylophones, the tribe members and the tourists, both local and foreign, fill the streets of Kalibo, Aklan, turning the usually sleepy capital town into one big noisy party place. Everywhere, one sees people dancing, drinking, laughing, and every so often, shouting “Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño! Viva!” as they party around the streets all throughout the day and night for an entire weekend. Yes, this is one of the world’s most famous festivals, the Ati-atihan. Held every second weekend of January ever y year, on the second Sunday after Epiphany, the Ati-Atihan Festival captures the flamboyant artistry, musical culture, religious fervor, and faithful devotion of the people of Aklan province as it pays homage to the Santo Niño whose image was presented by Magellan in 1521 as a gift to the queen of Cebu when he first stepped on the shores of the island, part of the archipelago that he discovered, later called the Philippines, and as a tribute to his own king, Felipe, back in Spain. Backstory The name “Ati-atihan” means “to be like aetas” or “to become make-believe aetas,” the local inhabitants of Panay island before the arrival of the Malays in the 10th century and the Spaniards in the 16th century. The festival is a celebration of the Akeanons’ profound faith in the Santo Niño and their thanksgiving for all the blessings they have received through the Lord Jesus Christ, the Child Jesus. If one is interested in Akeanon history and culture, including the origin of the Atiatihan Festival, the best place to visit in Kalibo is the provincial museum situated right at the town square. Its collection of ancient artifacts and everything else that has to do with the Atiatihan Festival is something
Photos by RAMMEL BUNCALAN
every tourist worth his culture penny must see. The museum may have a limited collection compared to that of the Museo Iloilo or other repositories of historical artifacts but nonetheless, it gives the visitors snippets of local history such as: the barter of Panay between the aetas led by Marikudo and the Malays under their chieftain Datu Puti; the establishment of the Panay settlement in the lowlands with Datu Sumakwel as in-charge; and the forced migration of the aetas to the uplands after the barter. When the aetas experienced scarcity of food due to the strong winds that destroyed their hillside crops, they went down to the lowlands now inhabited by the Malays, later called the Maraynons, and asked them for food. The lowlanders, who had a good harvest, shared their blessings with the black, kinky-haired aetas who then rejoiced and danced in gratefulness for the lowlanders’ generosity. Camaraderie developed between the two groups and the Maraynons daubed their faces with soot to look like
their upland brothers, rejoicing with them. From then on, every year at harvest time, the aetas and the Maraynons held a celebration of thanksgiving for their bountiful harvest and continuing friendship. W h en t h e Span i ard s came to the Philippines, they introduced some Catholic and Spanish elements to the celebration such as the devotion to Santo Niño, and the holding of fiestas to honor the Child Jesus with parades, processions and festivals. Backbone of faith Year after year, local people and foreign tourists alike flock to Kalibo to take part in this traditional religious festival. Many believers even make vows in exchange for blessings and supplications. A nine-day novena preceding the feast day is held every afternoon at the Kalibo Cathedral. The people’s devotion to Santo Niño is so great that observers say no matter how many times they have done it already, the street dancers never fail to enter the cathedral and pay homage to the Child Jesus every time they pass by the stately white
edifice. Repeated shouts of “Viva kay Santo Niño!” and slogan-bearing placards carried around by the participants make it known to everyone that this raucous merriment is their own unique way of honoring the Santo Niño. Even outside the church compound, one immediately sees the long queues of people having their heads, shoulders, and back s r ubbed w ith a small statue of Santo Niño. This Catholic ritual, called “paeapak” in Akeanon, is an age-old faith-healing rite for curing diseases, attributed to the miraculous Santo Niño de Kalibo, and attracts devotees from around the world. Devotees and pilgrims pray the rosary before the festival music goes into a crescendo. Then church leaders transfer the venerated miraculous image of Santo Niño of Kalibo from the church altar inside to the elevated altar outside in front of the Cathedral. The High Mass follows, officiated by the Bishop of Kalibo and participated in by all priests of Aklan. It is a massive convergence of local devotees, domestic and foreign tourists in solidarity
with the Ati-atihan tribes as they all take part in the highest form of Catholic worship. Backlight Any Philippine festival showcases the creativ it y, m u s i c a l i t y, i n g e n u i t y, resourcefulness and artistry of Filipinos but it would not be complete without the display of pulchritude by young, pretty, smart, and talented ladies in a beauty search. The Ati-atihan festival is no exception. Every year, beautiful and brainy Akeanon ladies vie for the prestigious title Mutya ag Lakan of Kalibo Ati-atihan Festival which is a battle of wit, beauty and brains by young and talented aspirants representing their respective towns. Back talk Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan has become so admired that similar festivals have cropped up all over Western Visayas. Today, Ati-Atihan is celebrated in the Aklan towns of Makato, Altavas, and Ibajay, a small town northeast of Kalibo which claims to be the original site where the Negritos came down from the hills to celebrate with the lowlanders. Of course, this claim is echoed by various towns along the northeast coast of Panay but through the years, Kalibo has established itself as the undisputed, original, AtiAtihan center. Back to the basics The informality of the festival is what makes it so popular; it allows everyone to participate - from dancing to beating the drums, to just taking photos right in the
middle of the frenzied action on the streets. They form their own “tribal groups” of all ages, shapes, and sizes - another fun aspect of the festival. It includes every local group in Aklan, has its unique tribal tradition, and creates its own costumes. A tribe may be any of the civic or commercial organizations in Aklan and elsewhere in the country and the world. A family, or better yet, the whole clan, is no exception. The key activity of the festival and one of the main reasons tourists gather in Kalibo town, is the native dance competition set to the rhythm of pulsating drumbeats that run nonstop for several d ay s . Co m p e t i to r s s t a r t rehearsing for months before the festival; they design very colourful costumes, masks and headdresses, and paint their bodies with black ash to look like the native aetas. By m i d m o r n i ng , t h e competing groups gather in their respective neighborhoods. Keep ing their steps and movements in sync with the drumbeats, they dance their way to the town center. The crowd increases as groups from different areas merge into one dancing, swaying, shouting mass. Along the way, the crowd thins out in places as some people leave their groups and drop by the church to worship the Santo Niño in relative silence and to offer themselves to the Will of the Almighty…but after a short devotional respite, they always go back to rejoin their groups and disappear in the heaving, gyrating multitude of funloving revelers.
The year that was... 2011-2012
Photo by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
Photo by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
Photo by KRISTINE LOUISE L. ANDRADE
Photo by KRISTINE LOUISE L. ANDRADE
Photo by KRISTINE LOUISE L. ANDRADE
Photo by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
6 « Spectacle
VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 3
MAY 15, 2012
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BOOKSTORE BLOOPERS
TEKNO CR
AVR SURPRISE
By JERSON E. ELMIDO
Photos by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
See flash updates
Get linked to our accounts at various social networking sites and blog. BEARLAND from Page 8
is a family-friendly resort that offers amenities to suit the relaxation needs of those escaping the urban jungle of Iloilo City. The resort has a kiddy pool that is elevated so that children will be safe. For the adults (or for those who are at least five feet tall), an infinity pool is just the right place for you to do your cannonball dive. All the pools are well-maintained and strict rules are enforced to ensure the safety of everyone. Aside from the pool, the other resort attractions are the sumptuous meals and snacks served by very friendly and accommodating crew clad in white polo shirts; and different types of beverages served even when you are in the pool! The resort rates may be a bit steep for some but they’re worth it: PhP 150.00 for children who will swim, PhP 150.00 for adults who decide not to swim, and PhP 300.00 for adults
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who will swim. Tents may be rented for a minimum price of PhP 400.00; and cottages fully equipped with airconditioning and other amenities a vacationer could ask for are also available. Whether you like it or not, you need to give yourself a break so have a day or weekend off and visit Bearland
Paradise Resort; you will surely cool down when the heat and the pressure of city life are too much for you.
VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 3
MAY 15, 2012
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Spectacle » 7
HUNGRY FOR MORE
W
H AT i f a l l t h e athletes taking part in the Olympic Games would fight to the death for the ultimate world sports supremacy? W hat if the world’s greatest political power that controlled the Games and the athletes would use this event as the most extreme form of punishment for those who took part in a past rebellion but must be paid for by the rebels’ descendants at the present time? The Hunger Games shows just that. The first installment in a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, it is another potential books-made-intomovies saga, coming in the heels of the vampire-themed Twilight series and the Bourne spy thriller franchise. The eponymous film is set in the dystopian future in a place called Panem, or what used to be known as North America. Every year, the Capitol, the highly corrupt and oppressive central government, requires each of Panem’s 12 districts to send one boy and one girl to participate in The Hunger Games, a nationally-televised event featuring 24 “tributes” or district representatives, 12 boys and 12 girls, who are sent into an arena to fight to the death in various individual combat events until only one remains to be declared the winner. The Games serves not just as a constant reminder to the people of who controls them, but also as a twisted punishment for the descendants of rebels in a past uprising. The story is told from the point of view of Katniss Everdeen, the girl tribute who represents District 12 in the 74th Hunger Games. The film stays almost perfectly true to the book in terms of how Collins tells the story and how director Gary Ross translates it on screen. Running for two and a half hours, it does not stray from the original plot, except for a few minor altered scenes, such as the one showing how Katniss has acquired her iconic Mockingjay pin. Other than that, majority of the Hunger Games fans, including these writers, are satisfied with the detailed authenticity of the movie vis-a-vis the novel. Casting director Debra Zane has done a spot-on job in matching not just the main characters with the lead actors, but also the nameless tributes with the minor players. At first, we have been a bit skeptical about the selection of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen because of her long, blonde hair and voluptuous figure that contrast sharply with how Katniss is described in the book: olive-skinned with brown hair and striking features. Nonetheless, cinematic and cosmetic magic has transformed Lawrence onscreen and she has been able to give justice to the Katniss we love so much in the books - witty, independent, strongwilled – and yes, olive-skinned and brunette. Liam Hemsworth is perfect
as Gale, Everdeen’s best friend, and has captured the hearts of the girls in the audience within the first few minutes of the film. Josh Hutcherson is not exactly how we have pictured out Peeta, the boy tribute from district 12, but he has done an amazing job in his scenes, especially those in the cave with Katniss. Elizabeth Banks also does a striking portrayal of the colorful and well-mannered Effie Trinket, escort of the district 12 tributes. Lenny Kravitz, best known as a guitarist-musician, is cast in an offbeat role as Everdeen’s stylist, Cinna, and he nails it, as American Idol ex-judge Steven Tyler would tell the contestants. The only cloud in casting heaven, however, is Woody Harrelson who plays Haymitch Abernathy, mentor of the district 12 tributes. He would not have been our choice for the role because he just doesn’t have the looks of a mentor, and his character is presented more as a drunk than as an actual mentor. Worse, his hairstyle throughout the movie is just off. The sets of the mov ie are astonishing. The Capitol is shown exactly the way we have imagined it to be - strewn with futuristic structures that exude an air of powerful eeriness, reflecting its dominance over all other districts, and its people are just as colorful and compelling as presented in the book. The set designers have been able to capture the bleakness and despair of District 12; however, we have been a bit disappointed with the Cornucopia in the arena because it looks more like a hovercraft than an actual golden cornucopia, as we have read and imagined it to be. The Hunger Games trilog y is basically a social criticism for it constantly presents themes of rebellion, oppression and power struggle. It gives us a glimpse of the possible scenario that could happen if global issues remained unanswered, and highly-oppressive governments continued to undermine their people. The Capitol’s massive and complete control of its 12 districts’ food, land and media is not unfamiliar to most third world countries. The film goes a step farther by presenting a government that toys with human life and gets its entertainment by exercising heartless power over the masses. The elite’s priorities are focused on status and fashion; they have little or no regard for the consequences of grabbing and keeping power at all cost. Overall, the movie satisfies both action film buffs and the Hunger Games loyal readers. It even entices “newcomers” to start reading the trilogy. Rated PG-13, it shows just the right mix of romance and bloodshed to please both the male and the female moviegoers. Teenagers fighting to the death may not be everyone’s idea of feel-good entertainment, but the movie has been able to capture the emotions, the intrigues, the conflicts, and the characters that make for a commercially successful big screen production despite the unappealing storyline. The Hunger Games definitely tips the odds in the moviegoers’ favor.
Scenes, images, and poster courtesy of LIONSGATE FILMS
By AYAH DANICA V. GRANADA and JOSEFA MARIA A. CASTRO
Photo by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
THE MIGRATION P OF POLAR BEARS
RISTINE white snow covers the ground. The cuddly penguins wobble about. The clear blue sky and the turquoise crystal waters fed by melting icebergs complete the polar
By RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
setting. But something’s missing in this picture - the polar bear. Where has it gone? Simple. The polar bears have made their way to Tigbauan, Iloilo and settled on the manmade paradise called
Bearland. Bearland Paradise Resort BEARLAND Page 6
A MEXICAN ILLUMINATING ILOILO
By JERSON E. ELMIDO
A
BIERTO – A word written on the sign panel above the door of this restaurant promises ever y guest a dining experience like no other. Spanish for “open”, the word evokes feelings of warmth, hospitality, pleasure, comfort, and satisfaction. The restaurant where this word greets the customers lives up to its promises. From its inception by three Fine Arts students from the University of the Phi l ipp ines Cebu (the three O’s in the name
Gambas ala Luna
of the restaurant stand for the number of its founders), to its acquisition by Pages Holdings, Inc., Mooon Café has come a long way not only in serving authentic food but also in delivering service with genuine dedication. A Me x i c an - i n s p i red restaurant located at SM CityIloilo Southpoint, Mooon Café serves an enticing cuisine that satisfies a hungry appetite and leaves it craving for more. One of the house specialties is the famous Mexican Baby Back Ribs that guarantees heavenly
Twenty-two Chicken
pleasure with every mouthful of the falling-off-the-bonetender meat; the other is the restaurant’s award-winning, thirst-quenching beverage, the Suncooler, a cool mix of real orange and mango juices made more delectable with the addition of watermelon, orange, and calamansi chunks. Now that’s real refreshment for you. Olé! Another star of the show is the mouth-watering “Gambas ala Luna”, a dish of shrimps sautéed in garlic, butter, and bread crumbs.
Mexican Baby Back Ribs
Muy delicioso! Another surefire way to please the palate is the very distinctively-flavored Quesadilla Vera Cruz, a dish which is a blend of chopped w h i te o n i o n s , s h re d d e d cheese, and tender shrimps, all wrapped in flour tortilla and topped with sour cream and salsa fresca. A bite of this and you’ll be transported to a Mexican village square, watching and hearing the mariachis, clad in their colorful outfits, create music magic with their guitars. There’s a lot more to
Suncooler
Mooon Café than you can sink your teeth into - pastas, pizzas, tacos, nachos, fajitas, steaks – all of which are pocket-friendly so a serious eater need not fear busting his wallet when he dines there. Muy bien, mi amigo! If there’s a reason to hang out and chill, Mooon Café is the place to go because it also serves buckets of subzero beers and a variety of side dishes to choose from – all free when one orders beer. Now if that’s not a good reason to have a fun time with friends, I don’t know
what is. Besides the greeting at the door, Mooon Café’s receptionists and attendants are muy amable y simpatico thus their accommodating and attentive presence enhances your dining experience. So, vaya al Mooon Café pronto, and have a gastronomic experience you’ll keep going back for again and again. At Mooon Café, Mexico is never too far away from Iloilo, for after all, you can always order a Suncooler and a Quesadilla Vera Cruz and say, “Salud! Viva Mexico!”
Photos by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG
Quesadilla Vera Cruz