FR EE CO P Y
DECEM BER 2017
DITAS ENSTR? M SWEDEN's Qu een of Cu lt u r al Dan ce M eet
LADY RUSSEL PANAGUITON M iss Globe Den m ar k 2017
romhumble ROGER F beginningsinCavite ASAKIL TotopNorway JOYA sushi Chef
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Let t er Fr om Th e Pu blish er Fi rst of all, Mali gayang Pask o! I?d li ke to thank everybody w ho w elcom ed the fi rst ever new spaper for Fi li pi nos i n the Nordi c regi on. Maram i ng salam at! The paper w as concei ved on Septem ber 2 thi s year and the m ai den i ssue cam e off the presses on Novem ber 7. The di stri buti on w hi ch w as the next phase after pri nti ng w as an exci ti ng and challengi ng experi ence for m e.
This Edition is distributed all over the Nordic region (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland & Iceland).
Pu blish er an d Ch ief Execu t ive
To oversee the di stri buti on, I had to go around Copenhagen, Stock holm , and Oslo for alm ost tw o w eek s last m onth. It w as truly hearteni ng to hear our k ababayans telli ng m e that they w ere glad to k now that there i s now a new spaper for Fi li pi nos i n the Nordi cs.
J SONNY LARAGAN Associat e Pu blish er
Of course, I w ould li ke to thank som e people w ho gam ely had thei r photos taken w hi le holdi ng thei r copi es of Yes Phi li ppi nes New sm agazi ne. My di stri buti on i ti nerary started i n Copenhagen and so I?d li ke to k i ck off by thank i ng Mr. Poul Krogh the Honorary Consul General of the Phi li ppi nes to Denm ark .
M ARY SOL PIM ENTEL M an agin g Edit or
SARAH M AE LARAGAN
Next stop w as Stock holm . Thi s ti m e I had the chance to m eet Ms. Mary Borrom eo-Hedfors, our Trade Attache/ Representati ve based i n Sw eden. Mary w as w i th our Belgi um -based Agri culture Attache Jose Laqui an that ti m e, so I had both of them happi ly holdi ng on to thei r copi es as I snapped aw ay.
Feat u r es Edit or
SADEKA SARRA M ESALUCHA
From Stock holm , the fi nal stop w as Oslo. I had a courtesy call w i th Charge d?affai res, ad i nteri m Ms. Mari el Algabre and Vi ce Consul Chri sti ansen Cabahug. We had a w onderful chat capped by the photo-op of them holdi ng thei r copi es of the paper.
Ar t Dir ect or
JOHN KNUCKLES M ARISOL ALQUIZAR
The tri p, as a w hole, w as great as I had the chance to see som e old fri ends and m eet new ones as w ell.
'I t wa s t r uly hea r t eni ng t o hea r Thi s ti m e, i t?s w i th utter exci tem ent that I?d li ke to i ntroduce our second i ssue. Thi s i s extra speci al si nce i t i s of course our Chri stm as i ssue as i t com es out thi s Decem ber. We?ve got features on Roger our ka ba ba ya ns Asak i l Joya, a Mi cheli n starred chef, w ho hai ls from Cavi te and i s now regarded Norw ay?s best sushi t elli ng m e t ha t t hey chef. Meet also Lady Russel Panagui ton, a full-blooded Fi li pi na w ho represented Denm ark i n the wer e gla d t o know recent Mi ss Globe 2017. And from Sw eden, read about Di tas Enstrom ? Sw eden?s Queen of Cultural t ha t t her e i s now a Dance. newspa per for Fi li pi nos i n t he It?s our si ncerest hope that Yes Phi li ppi nes adds to your i nspi rati on as you thri ve i n all li fe?s areas. May i t offer you hom e-felt w arm th thi s Chri stm as. So happy readi ng and see you on the next i ssue! N or di c.'
Con t r ibu t or
M ARICOR M AGLASANG Adver t isin g
KARLA DUCAY Cir cu lat ion
M YLEEN M ALVEDA M ARCO REYES CAM AS STEEN HOLM M ARICHU HOLD M ARLYN FABON
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YES PHILIPPINES Nor dic Edit ion is a m on t h ly pu blicat ion dist r ibu t ed t o t h e Filipin o com m u n it y in Nor w ay, Sw eden , Den m ar k , Fin lan d & Icelan d. We w elcom e det ails of local st or ies, in clu din g su ccess, aw ar ds, appoin t m en t s an d even t s. Sen d you r it em s by em ail t o: yesph iln ew sm ag@gm ail.com
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Roger Asak il Joya r eceivin g h is M ich elin aw ar d f or Sabi Om ak ase in Febr u ar y 2017
WORLD CLASS PINOY
ROGER ASAKIL JOYA Th e M ak in g of a Global M ast er Ch ef by SADEKA SARRA F. M ESALUCHA
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M i cheli n starred chef. A Nordi c Pri ze Wi nner. A World Sushi Cup 4th Placer twi ce. And most especi ally, a Fi li pi no.
Master Chef Roger Asak i l Joya i s tak i ng the Nordi c regi on by storm after hi s co-ow ned restaurant Sabi Om ak ase w as aw arded the m ost coveted Nordi c Pri ze-Restaurant of the Year outshi ni ng all other restaurants i n Norw ay, Denm ark , Sw eden, Fi nland, and Iceland. Consequent to the superlati ve com m ents and revi ew s from custom ers i s i ncreased patronage for hi s sushi restaurant that i s located i n Stavanger Ci ty, the thi rd largest urban zone and m etropoli tan area i n Norw ay. In fact, due to popular dem and, the restaurant has to observe a stern reservati on poli cy that people m ust have book i ngs requi si te to di ni ng. So w hen Hollyw ood com edi an Chri s Rock and hi s staff tri ed thei r luck to have a taste of the authenti c Tok yo-style sushi i n Norw ay, the m aster chef had to decli ne. ?I?ve told them that w e are full that day. And I am sorry, w e can?t accom m odate them . He i s alw ays w elcom e, but please gi ve us a w eek to sort i t out and fi nd a place for hi m ,? he explai ns. But the success of the thi rty-si x-year-old m aster chef di d not happen overni ght. He left hi s hom e i n Capi pi sa, Tanza, Cavi te at the age of seventeen to joi n hi s father i n Norw ay w hose only hope w as to offer hi m better opportuni ti es i n li fe. And even i f the dream to becom e a chef w as already ri ngi ng loud for Roger, he had som e reservati ons. ?My father w as a good chef so I w as alw ays thi nk i ng to w ork li ke hi m . But m y teacher told m e that i f I w on?t m ake i t as a head chef at 35-40 years old, i t w ould be a real challenge to becom e a successful chef plus the salary w on?t be rew ardi ng,? he shares. He got so di scouraged that he changed hi s pri ori ti es. He took a year of study i n Basi c Hotel Course and Food Sci ence, as w ell as one-year course i n Inform ati on Com m uni cati on Technology plus another year of i ntensi ve course i n the uni versi ty. Roger w as already far from becom i ng a chef. Yet ak i n to an exqui si te m enu, that w as just the appeti zer i n Roger?s journey of becom i ng a global m aster chef. He m ust not have seen that hi s desti ny to w ear that toque w as long seated on the beach sand i n hi s hom etow n and that hi s love for fi shi ng and farm i ng as a young boy w ould rek i ndle hi s dream . After that short detour, Roger w as back to the gam e i n reali zi ng the dearest dream i n hi s heart. He w as graced w i th an opportuni ty of a li feti m e. An opportuni ty that he nouri shed for seven strai ght years and that he nouri shes ti ll now. As the
sushi busi ness w as boom i ng i n Oslo that ti m e, he devoted to the m astery of w estern style sushi . ?It took m e years of studyi ng, trai ni ng, and stayi ng i n m any restaurants i n Oslo. To be a good chef, I have to bui ld a strong foundati on and gai n experi ence.? ?It took long collaborati on w i th the best professi onals i n sushi i ndustry,? he adds. Added to hi s goal of becom i ng a head sushi chef w as to start hi s ow n sushi restaurant. But Chef Roger and hi s team di d not just put up a restaurant but even turned i t as the bi ggest sushi chai n i n Norw ay. He sai d that he i s proud to have establi shed w ork i ng places w here m any get i nspi red to becom e a sushi chef. Roger also developed a trai ni ng program for aspi ri ng sushi chefs. Even after bei ng successful to that extent, Roger di d not stop on dream i ng. Hi s i dea w as to uti li ze the ri ch produce i n Norw ay. He w as sold out to m ak i ng i t w ork though he k new i t w ould requi re m uch. He further studi ed abroad and relentlessly joi ned vari ous sushi com peti ti ons i n Japan, w i th a si ngle goal i n m i nd- to return to Norw ay expert. Hi s goal to develop a culture of Edom ae style sushi by usi ng ni nety percent of Norw egi an fi sh and shellfi sh i s now a reali ty. Chef Roger dubbed i t as Norm ae, forNordi c or Norw ay and Mae that m eans local catch. The sushi chai n Sabi Om ak ase banners i ts Norw egi an Edo Style Sushi and custom ers have nothi ng for i t but prai se. So w hen the renow ned Mi cheli n Gui de Nordi c Countri es 2017 announced that a star w as for Sabi Om ak ase i n Stavanger, m any w ere unsurpri sed. Som e food bloggers w rote thei r predi cti on rooti ng for Chef Roger?s sushi restaurant. The hum ble chef as he recei ved hi s star stressed that i t w as a team effort. ?I dedi cate that star to people w ho are pursui ng thei r dream s. Everythi ng i s possi ble and achi evable as long as you w ork hard and rem ai n dedi cated,? the Mi cheli n starred chef concludes. The journey of Chef Roger i s not far from the sushi that he m akes. It i s an i m age of deli berate fi ndi ng, cutti ng, rolli ng, and w rappi ng w here i n the end, he got a w ell-orchestrated outcom e. He m ay be a global sushi m aster chef now , but he w i ll never sever ti es w i th hi s favori tes si ni gang, adobo, tortang talong, pak si w , and k i ni law. ?To m y fellow Fi li pi nos,dream bi g, but be ready to w ork hard for i t. Be proud of w here you com e from . Love, respect, support and be i nspi red by other Fi li pi nos? success.? And to hi s patrons, he expresses grati tude for accepti ng hi s i nvi tati on to beli eve i n hi m . Om ak ase com m only translates to ?trust the chef?. Thi s i s a story of greatness, thi s i s hi s story. Indeed, to dream i s not enough. One m ust ascri be bi gger purpose to that dream and be w i lli ng to toi l to fulfi ll i t.
It 's in m y DNA t o be a ch ef , a su sh i ch ef ." - Roger Asak il Joya
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Dit as En st r ?m , Sw eden's Qu een of Cu lt u r al (Not all qu een s Dan ce w ear cr ow n s) by SADEKA SARRA F. M ESALUCHA h e clich ĂŠ ?w e t ake w it h u s w h at w e love?is n on et h eless t r u e w h en t w en t y-eigh t -year -old Dit as lef t t h e Ph ilippin es t o m ove t o Sw eden in 1986 f or love. Lit t le did sh e k n ow , it w as n ot on ly f am ily lif e t h at aw ait ed h er , bu t a lif e of r h yt h m , m ot ion , an d pu r pose.
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Grow i ng up i n the sceni c Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte k now n to be the ?land of balanghai s?or w ooden boats, she w i tnessed how her parents w ent the extra m i le to secure thei r fam i ly a good future. ?They w ere both am bi ti ous about thei r chi ldren especi ally w i th our educati on. They endured li vi ng separately to earn m oney to send us to pri vate schools. My m other w as w ork i ng at the ci nem a w hi le m ai ntai ni ng a sm all canteen, selli ng snack s at the m ovi e house i n the ci ty. My father w as a car m echani c and a pri vate dri ver i n Mani la. He w ould render a lot of overti m e to get extra pay. Because of thei r sacri fi ces, w e all graduated from di fferent uni versi ti es i n Mani la. I graduated w i th a Bachelor?s degree i n Arts & Sci ences m ajor i n Mass Com m uni cati on at Centro Escolar Uni versi ty?, she fondly recalls. Di tas speak s w i th so m uch love and grati tude tow ards her dem i sed parents because she w ould carry thei r i nfluence far and long i n her li fe. As a chi ld, her hobbi es w ere nothi ng speci al. She li ked basketball, li steni ng to m usi c, playi ng the gui tar, and danci ng. Yet agai n, her parents seem ed to have seen that thei r youngest li ttle darli ng w as born to dance. ?It
w as because of m y parents that m y i nterest i n dance grew. They li terally cheered for m e and gave m e full support i n all m y perform ances w herever i n Mi ndanao?, Di tas enthuses. Shortly after tw o years of li vi ng i n Sw eden, the w orld of dance got i nto her orbi t agai n. She w as shortli sted for a job as a dance teacher at Folk uni versi tetet, form erly Kursverk sam heten i n Täby, a locali ty that i s dubbed as a Stcok holm suburb. From 1988 to 1991, she handled both di sco jazz and slow dance classes for Sw edi sh youth. But Di tas refrai ned from si m ply teachi ng her students dance. Si nce she i s a product of boosti ng and support, she k new exactly w hat the m agi c of encouragem ent does. She w ent above and beyond m eeti ng a sm all group of dedi cated dancers i n thei r free ti m e for m ore dance trai ni ng. It w as nothi ng seri ous at fi rst, just for sheer enjoym ent and love for dance, unti l thei r debut perform ance at one gatheri ng that ushered Di tas to a vaster rostrum she had not stepped i nto before. ?Apart from bei ng thei r teacher, I took on the task of bei ng the dance leader.I taught them cultural dances that w e perform ed for both Fi li pi no and Sw edi sh functi ons.? ?We perform ed com pletely w i thout com pensati on?, she adds.
Teachi ng w as not at all new for Di tas.She taught vari ous dance form s at then Ti na Lapus Dance Studi o and w as a choreographer of Fi li pi nas Royale Dance Group for perform ances abroad duri ng the early 1980s. It w as teachi ng to forei gners that posed som e
challenges. Break through, as i t i s called, w as w hat Di tas and her sm all group needed. ?One ti m e, the Phi li ppi ne Em bassy i n Stock holm asked m e to choreograph a Fi li pi no cultural dance of m y choi ce to perform
i n one of thei r events. It turned out to be a huge success,? she tells. That show she put up led to som ethi ng really m ajor. By di nt of the em bassy?s m arketi ng, the cultural dance pro w i th her sm all group got book i ngs at Vi k i ng Li ne and Si lja Li ne, ferri es that sai l over the Balti c Sea. ?We also perform ed for SVT, a Sw edi sh televi si on com pany as w ell and at a num ber of festi vals i n Stock holm .? As the buzz for the 'cultural danci ng group' crescendoed, Di tas had to m ake a deci si on. She could not be obli vi ous to the fact that thei r group, no m atter how sm all, w as a pi oneer i n w hat i t w as doi ng. ?I k new no group that featured Phi li ppi ne dance i n Sw eden that ti m e; plus fellow Fi li pi nos told m e that I w as the best person to do i t because i t w as m y passi on,? she recollects. Fi nally i n 1995, Di tas form ali zed the establi shm ent of the EuroAsi an Dansgrupp (EAD) and the rest i s an august hi story. Not only w as she a m other to her daughter Jani ce, but she selflessly m others the dance group. She i s a w om an dedi cated to her passi on w ho saw the need and stood to the challenge of exporti ng Fi li pi no culture i n a forei gn land through dance. ?I
just w ant to conti nue w ork i ng on the vi si on of EAD to prom ote and preserve the Phi li ppi ne folk heri tage by show casi ng authenti c Fi li pi no dance, m usi c, song, and even dram a.? Whi le Di tas i s already sati sfi ed for w hat the EuroAsi an Dansgrupp has accom pli shed, she sets her hopes hi gh for the m em bers of the group. She w anted each of them to be able to teach others too. ?I w i ll provi de opportuni ti es on how our dancers can educate not fellow dancers alone but the enti re com m uni ty,? she concludes. She w anted to express her grati tude to Fi li pi nos and Sw edi sh ali ke for the unrelenti ng patronage, of course i n the best w ay she k now s how - m ore dance i n the years to com e. Tw enty tw o years of thri vi ng for EAD, decades of passi on and leadershi p from Di tas. Sure, i t w as not only clothes she put i nsi de that luggage thi rty one years ago. She took w i th her to Sw eden the i nspi rati on from her parents, her passi on for dance, and her love for her hom eland. Indeed, w hen passi on and love for country colli de, a noble vi si on i s born and reali zed.Not all queens w ear crow ns, Di tas had a pot on her head graceful to the rythm of Banga (Pot) Dance.
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Lady Ru ssel Pan agu it on
Ever y m ilest on e t h is 20-year -old Dan ish -Pin ay h as r each ed is a pr odu ct of sayin g yes t o oppor t u n it ies an d doin g on e?s best .
A Q&A w it h M iss Globe Den m ar k 2017 Where di d your roots ori gi nate i n the Phi li ppi nes? My m other i s from Las Pi nas Ci ty, and m y father i s from Bacolod Ci ty. How di d your fami ly/parents end up i n Denmark ? My father joi ned hi s m other i n Novem ber 1991 w ho w as m arri ed to a Dani sh m an. My parents w ere hi gh school sw eethearts and 5 years after m y dad arri ved i n Denm ark m y m other cam e. They then got m arri ed and had m e after a few years. Do you speak Fi li pi no? I do speak Fi li pi no but not fluently and w i th an accent. I do understand about 80% of the language. What makes you busy asi de from pageants? Ri ght now I?m tak i ng a year off before I enter uni versi ty. I have a day job at the m om ent and doi ng som e trai ni ng so I can pursue m y dream of becom i ng a m odel and/ or an actress. How di d you reali ze that you wanted to be a beauty queen? Honestly I di dn?t w ant to becom e a beauty queen at fi rst. I?ve never i m agi ned m yself bei ng a beauty queen nor a m odel. I entered m y fi rst pageant because the people around m e thought that I had the potenti al and the hei ght to becom e one. I then thought that i f everyone else can see som ethi ng that I can?t, then I should try i t. And after I di d, I began to li ke i t. How do you prepare for pageants? My fam i ly i s from the Phi li ppi nes and are fam i li ar w i th beauty pageants. My tw o aunts though they aren?t professi onal trai ners, trai n m e through all of m y pageants. Surpri si ngly, I m anaged to do w ell i n every pageant. We do a lot of catw alk trai ni ng. What and when was your fi rst ever pageant? Have you won any pageants? My fi rst beauty pageant w as Bb. Pi li pi nas Denm ark i n 2014 and I w as crow ned the w i nner. Asi de from the grand pri ze, I also w on the Best i n Sw i m sui t aw ard. What was memorable duri ng the ti me you won your fi rst pageant? It w as a totally new experi ence and cappi ng i t w i th a w i n w as i ndeed thri lli ng. How ever, the dearest and m ost m em orable I w ould say w as w hen m e and m y fam i ly w ent to a nearby KFC ri ght after the pageant and enjoyed the rest of the eveni ng eati ng fri ed chi cken. How were you chosen to represent Denmark for the M i ss Globe pageant? The di rector of the Mi ss Queen of Scandi navi a Denm ark called 3 days before the com peti ti on w ould start and asked m e to joi n because the offi ci al candi date backed out at the last m i nute. Wi th only a few days noti ce, I w as qui te hesi tant to go. But after I?ve talked to m y fam i ly, w e?ve agreed that i t w as a once i n a li feti m e opportuni ty for m e, so I accepted.
What i s the most memorable part at the M i ss Globe 2017 pageant? Seei ng m y parents agai n a day or tw o before the fi nals. Thi ngs happened so fast. I had to fly to Albani a w i thout sayi ng goodbye to anyone. I felt reli eved w hen I saw m y parents. Huggi ng them felt li ke huggi ng m y w hole fam i ly and fri ends w ho loved and supported m e. Another great m em ory w as w hen m y nam e w as called at the top 15. I w as told later that i f there w ere a top 10, I w ould have been 8th. How di d i t make any di fference that you are a Dani sh-Pi nay at an i nternati onal pageant? I m i ght have i ntri gued people. I don?t look Scandi navi an at all. So w hen I fi rst arri ved everyone thought I w as representi ng an Asi an country because w e w eren?t w eari ng our sashes yet. The di fference i s that I am a full-blooded Fi li pi na representi ng Denm ark w hi ch i s unusual as a typi cal Dani sh candi date w ould be caucasi an-look i ng. How di d i t feel that you had two countri es cheeri ng for you duri ng the M i ss Globe pageant? The feeli ng w as am azi ng and heartw arm i ng. I w as truly blessed and loved havi ng tw o countri es supporti ng m e on pageant ni ght. And for that reason, I w anted to do the best I can to m ake them proud. My roots are, of course, from the Phi li ppi nes and m y fam i li es i n both countri es have supported m e from day one. What i s the role of your fami ly i n your ?beauty queen?journey? My fam i ly i s m y other half. Wi thout them I w ould feel i ncom plete. They are gui di ng, supporti ng, helpi ng, teachi ng and lovi ng m e the best they can, and that?s all I could ever ask for. What are your plans now after the M i ss Globe 2017 Pageant? I truly w ant to pursue a m odeli ng career or becom e an actress and that i s w hy I am seri ously w ork i ng out to get a good body shape.I plan on goi ng to the Phi li ppi nes for a long holi day and see m y fam i ly. Whi le there, I w ant to do som e casti ng audi ti ons. What are your other aspi rati ons asi de from bei ng a beauty queen? Any advocacy? I?m part of a chari ty organi sati on called PDCC, w here w e are rai si ng m oney to help Fi li pi nos i n need. What three words would best descri be you? Posi ti ve, beli ever and blessed. What i s your message to young women out there about achi evi ng thei r dreams? Alw ays try to follow your dream s. Be hardw ork i ng and have a posi ti ve m i nd to attai n them .My parents alw ays taught m e that you should alw ays just do your best and then God w i ll do the rest. Beli eve i n hi m and beli eve i n yourself, then you w i ll reach your dream s and gai n so m uch m ore just by the experi ence.
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PASKONG PINOY 101
YOUR ?STARTER KIT?TO FILIPINO CHRISTM AS by JAHLEEL M ILALAI PIM ENTEL
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idin g on t h e accolade of bein g on e of t h e gr eat est Ch r ist m as dest in at ion s in Asia ar e t h e Filipin os w h o cou ld n ot get an y pr ou der .
Numerous online blogs and travel websites handpicked the Philippines as to where yuletide season is best celebrated. We cannot promise words can tell it all, so here is an invite along with this starter kit to offer the basics in Filipino Christmas. Hoping you set foot at12.8797° N, 121.7740° E any time soon toexperience the warmth and magic of the holiday season in this part of the globe. Christmas has been the most celebrated holiday in different nations. Due to different culture and traditions of each country, Christmas is observed in various ways but all for one reason, the birth of the Saviour Jesus Christ more than two thousand years ago. In the Philippines, the festivity begins as calendar flips to ?ber ?months. As early as the 1stday of September you will hear Christmas songs almost everywhere. You will hear them on the radio, in malls, public utility vehicles, and even in people?s houses.Children also sing Christmas carols in every house with their tambourines made of tin cans and jingle sticks made of wood andtansan. They would sing loudly and proudly even if they sing with the wrong lyrics. The entire community starts putting up Christmas decors too in public and private properties alike. These decors vary from large images of Santa and his reindeers, the nutcracker, the nativity scene, Christmas trees filled with balls and lights to our very ownparol. A parolis one Christmas ornament said to be uniquely Filipino. It represents the northern star that led the three kings to Jesus Christ. Its traditional shape is a star, but designs are very exceptional. Theparolcan be made of different materials, from the expensive Capiz shells to recyclable materials such as old magazines and plastic. After all, Filipinos are known for their ingenuity. So much for setting the Christmas vibe, one of the highlights of Filipino Christmas isthe Simbang Gabi.To some it?s called 9 mornings while for others it is more known asMisa de Gallo. It starts at dawn of the 16thof December and finishes on the 24th. They say if you completed the 9 masses, your wishes will come true. Many Filipinos believe that, and so many of them still try hard to complete theMisa de Gallo.What others also enjoy is thekakaninssold after the mass. Since the mass finishes at sunrise, some sell thesekakaninsfor breakfast.There?s puto bumbong, bibingka, kutchinta, sapin-sapin,and many more. Beverages like black
coffee orsikwate(chocolate drink) are also sold together with the food. When Christmas eve is a few days away, family from different places begin to come home to their ancestral house where the oldest members of the family usually live. Most grandparents can no longer travel so their children and grandchildren make an effort to be the ones going home for the holidays. Christmas season is also a time for family reunion. This makes the event more joyous. And each member of the family for sure bear gifts for one another. These presents are not necessarily expensive; gift giving has been part of a Filipino family?s Christmas tradition. They sing, dance and exchange gifts merrily at Christmas eve. Ofcourse, the hugs, kisses and unending greetings are always present. This is followed by aNoche Buena, a feast, a banquet, a table so abundant with all sorts of Filipino dishes you can imagine. Not to forget is thelechonor roast pig which is a staple food in all Filipino celebrations. Everything in thenoche buenacan surprisingly fill everyone?s stomach, one can even invite neighbours and still the food seems to never run out. Most families, especially the large ones prepare a program for entertainment. There?s song and dance numbers, and games. Old and young participate in the spirit of Christmas. Even after the 25th, those who still have time to come together meet up and gather. Filipinos are fond of keeping leftover food, so some of them are cooked again and reheated. Another party can now begin, this time maybe with friends or relatives. But the bottom line is, the festivities and merry making doesn?t end until the Epiphany or feast of the Three Kings on the 6thof January.Only then will the Filipinos slowly keep their Christmas ornaments. That is how long Christmas is being celebrated in the Philippines. It will always be one of a kind, truly a valuable tradition as it physically and emotionally brightens the nation and the Filipino people. There is always something about Christmas that makes people nicer. Ours may be very different from Swedish Christmas as we do not celebrate St. Lucia?s day and hand out pepparkakor but we have our own beautiful way of doing it; so beautiful that most Filipinos away from the Philippines feel homesick the most during this time of the year.That is why this line is often heard among Filipinos abroad ?Iba pa rin ang Pasko sa ?Pinas.?
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DIM PLE SANCHEZ St ock h olm , Sw eden ?The thing that I really miss
during Christmas season is caroling. My cousins and I would usually make our own instruments using bottle caps from sodas. We would go from one house to another to sing carols. For kids, getting some money from caroling was awesome. I remember using the money to buy ?bibingka?and ?putubumbong?after ?simbang gabi?. I hope my kids get to experience it one day.?
SALVI HJØRTELAND St avan ger , Nor w ay RUELM A DAYDAY ALIDO Uppsala, Sw eden ?Simbang gabi, then puto at tsokolate right after the mass!?
?I miss the Christmas caroling the most. I miss hearing the voice of children singing Christmas songs every single night from 15th to 24th of December.?
Wh at do you m iss m ost abou t Ch r ist m as in t h e Ph ilippin es?
ZULAIKA HÅLAND Jør pelan d, Nor w ay ?The simple yet grand Christmas in the Philippines is what I miss the most. I miss seeing the table on Noche Buena filled with our most favorite dishes. My mother cooks well and she makes sure she has our favorites prepared on Christmas. I also miss the caroling. I enjoyed it a lot with my siblings, friends, and churchmates.?
BENN ADRIATICO Copen h agen , Den m ar k I dont miss the Filipino Christmas per se. I miss the Pinoy Christmas that I used to know, the one I grew up with: Latin high masses at dawn; the villacinco "pastores a belen" (composed by JP Rizal) sang after the masses accompanied with glad tambourines; the hot pugon baked pandesals with margarine; bonding project of my father and I - making a parol to sway gracefully at our window; my mother and my sister putting up a Christmas tree made of local materials - bamboo brambles laden with beaten soap or kapok to simulate snow, the trimmings were Christmas cards received from friends and relatives from around the country and overseas; participating in the rituals of making suman and bibingka - filling the air with the aroma of banana leaves softened on an open fire (canta yon ah) and the sweet smell of simmering coconut milk and muscovado, these delicacies were served for visiting friends and relatives, doled out to carolers singing cheerful and pensive Ilocano carols, dancing sakuting, performing the tribal tadek dance to the rhythm of ganza percussions. rolling the pasta or noodles for the Ilocano pancit-miki; feeling the chill of the Siberian winds that made our cheeks rosy; feeling the cosiness of innudo (ilocano term for basking in around a slow burning pine wood) enjoying the scent of the bonfire; savouring pipian (ilocano chicken soup thickened with ground roasted rice laced with kasute herbs, garlic, ginger and achuete) after the midnight mass.
GLARE DUM O Oslo, Nor w ay
CAROLYN FREDRIKSSON St ock h olm , Sw eden ?Namimiss ko lalo sa panahon ng Kapaskuhan ang pagising ng musiko sa aming baryo para sa simbang gabi at ang avocado tea para sa puto pagkatapos ng misa. ?
?Attending the ?simbang gabi? with my family and friends and eating ?bibingka and putubumbong?with matching tea after the mass are really some of those I really miss in the Philippines during Christmas season. The noche Buena which is celebrated with the whole family and all the delicious Filipino food especially ?litson?and ?halaya?as dessert, really my favorites.?
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EM BA SSY NEWS & UPDA TES
FILIPINO AU PAIRS PARTICIPATE IN ORIENTATION SEM INAR AT THE PHILIPPINE EM BASSY IN OSLO Oslo, 11 Novem ber 2017-- Nearly fi fty Fi li pi no Au Pai rs attended the Post-Arri val Ori entati on Sem i nar on 11 Novem ber 2017 hosted by the Phi li ppi ne Em bassy i n Oslo, Norw ay. The Post-Arri val Ori entati on Sem i nar w as ai m ed at conti nui ng the Phi li ppi ne Governm ent?s m easures i n prom oti ng the w elfare of Fi li pi no Au Pai rs. Wi th speakers and paneli sts from the Em bassy, the Norw egi an Di rectorate for Im m i grati on (UDI), Cari tas Au Pai r Center i n Oslo, the Internati onal Organi zati on for Mi grati on (IOM), and Vi §Vé Advok ater AS, a law fi rm , the sem i nar provi ded i nform ati on for Fi li pi no Au Pai rs that w ould ease thei r adjustm ent and contri bute tow ards a successful stay i n Norw ay. The m ostly young w om en Au Pai rs enthusi asti cally engaged the speakers and paneli sts i n an honest, fri endly, posi ti ve, and constructi ve di alogue on a host of i ssues such as contract of engagem ent, host fam i ly, ri ghts and obli gati on, language learni ng, cultural acti vi ti es and, legal and m edi cal servi ces. Also i n attendance w ere m em bers of the Fi li pi no com m uni ty (Fi lcom ), som e of w hom shared thei r ow n experi ences on li vi ng i n Norw ay. Conti nui ng the i nteracti on duri ng the lunch, and to faci li tate the one-on-one consultati ons betw een an Au Pai r, and speakers and paneli sts from Norw egi an i nsti tuti ons, som e Fi lcom m em bers volunteered as translators. Encouraged by the turnout, all parti ci pants w elcom ed the Em bassy?s plan to organi ze regular post-arri val ori entati on sem i nars and other acti vi ti es for Au Pai rs, i n coordi nati on w i th partner i nsti tuti ons and organi zati ons, and the Fi li pi no com m uni ty.
20 Years of ?Bayani han? celebrated wi th Fi li pi no Cultural Ni ght 13 Novem ber 2017 ? Fi li pi no organi zati on Bayani han den fi li ppi nske foreni ng i Grenland (?Bayani han?) celebrated i ts 20th Anni versary w i th a Cultural Ni ght, on 4 Novem ber 2017, i n Sk i en, Norw ay. The Bayani han organi zati on i s com posed of Fi li pi nos w ho have found thei r second hom es i n the di stri ct of Grenland, Telem ark , Norw ay. Asi de from the presentati on of Phi li ppi ne dances, speci fi cally curated to hi ghli ght the spi ri t of bayani han am ong Fi li pi nos, the eveni ng w as m arked by the recogni ti on of the pi oneer m em bers of the Bayani han organi zati on, si nce i ts establi shm ent i n 1997. In her rem ark s, the Phi li ppi ne Em bassy?s Thi rd Secretary and Vi ce Consul Chri sti ansen Cabahug congratulated the Bayani han for li vi ng up to thei r organi zati on?s nam e, by extendi ng assi stance to Fi li pi nos i n Grenland, and conducti ng fundrai si ng acti vi ti es for calam i ty-stri cken com m uni ti es i n the Phi li ppi nes. Sk i en Mayor Hedda Foss Fi ve, and Porsgrunn Mayor Robi n Kåss, w ho both attended the event, ack now ledged the acti ve i nvolvem ent of the Bayani han i n the Grenland com m uni ty through the years, w hi ch bri ngs together Phi li ppi ne and Norw egi an tradi ti ons and culture.
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GLOBAL FOOD TRIP IN M ANILA
PART 2
by M ARICOR M AGLASANG
to get i t than Korea Garden Restaurant i n Jupi ter Street, Bel-Ai r, Mak ati . They serve Korean staples such It?s located at Crossroads as Bi bi m bap, Bldg., 32nd St. cor. 9th Ave., w hi ch i s Boni faci o Global Ci ty, w hi te ri ce Tagui g, and i s about a 20-30 topped w i th m i nute dri ve i f you?re m eat and vegetables, as com i ng from Greenbelt i n w ell as Kalbi Chi m , w hi ch i s a Korean beef stew. Korea Garden Restaurant has been one of the m ai nstays w hen i t com es to Balk an Expr ess Korean food i n the Mak ati . Balk an Express Phi li ppi nes as they?ve been serves Eastern European i n busi ness cui si ne, w hi ch i s pretty for over 41 uni que i n the Phi li ppi nes. years! They Thei r Stuffed Pjesk avi ca, serve good w hi ch i s a gri lled serbi an quali ty ham burger, and thei r Korean food chi cken ?Batak ? are at an absolutely am azi ng, and affordable w i ll surely keep you pri ce, so be com i ng back ! sure to check Korean food has also out thei r food. been slow ly m ak i ng i ts w ay Mi ddle throughout the food w orld, Eastern food and there?s no better place
or those look i ng for somethi ng new, then Balk an Express i s ri ght up your alley.
F
Kor ean Gar den Rest au r an t
i n Mani la i s pretty easy to com e by, but the really great ones that serve truly authenti c Mi ddle Eastern food are few and far betw een. Am ong these i s Zi ggurat, located i n Sunette Tow er Bldg., Durban St. cor. Mak ati Avenue. They serve a m i x of Mi ddle Eastern food, along w i th som e Indi an favori tes. They have am azi ng Kebabs, and thei r Hum m us i s one of the best. When i t com es to Mi ddle Eastern favori tes, then
Cir cu lo Rest au r an t
Zi ggurat should be your go-to place. Of course, Spani sh cui si ne i s a m ai nstay i n the Phi li ppi nes. The Spani sh occupati on of the country lasted for m ore than 300 years, so Spani sh food i n the Phi li ppi nes w i ll surely be am azi ng. One of the best com es from Ci rk ulo Restaurant located at the ground floor of the Mi lk yw ay Bui ldi ng,Arnai z Avenue Corner Paseo de Roxas, San Lorenzo, Mak ati Ci ty. Whi le the food i s a bi t on the m ore expensi ve si de of thi ngs, the am azi ng culi nary experi ence i s w ell w orth the expense. Thei r Paella i s cooked perfectly w i th deli ci ous seafood, and
no w ords can descri be how good the beef belly ri bs are. It?s a great place for dates, fam i ly di nners, and busi ness m eeti ngs as the food and Ziggu r at the restaurant leave a lasti ng i m pressi on. For those look i ng for Germ an food, look no further than Brotzei t, located i n Glori etta i n Mak ati . They have a glori ous selecti on of Germ an Beers, and pai red w i th thei r Germ an sausages, i t?s a m atch m ade
Br ot zeit
i n heaven! Thei r beers also pai r am azi ngly w ell w i th thei r di shes, and i t?s a w elcom e change from the usual fare that you?ll fi nd i n Mani la.
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ENTERTA I NM ENT Secti on
Su n sh in e Dizon w in s M ost Ou t st an din g Filipin a Act r ess in Television at 2017 Gaw ad Am er ik a Aw ar ds ONGRATULATIONS to multi-talented Kapuso actress Sunshine Dizon for her win as the M ost Ou t st an din g Filipin a Act r ess in Television at the 2017 Gawad Amerika Awards held last November 18 at the Franklin Avenue Celebrity Center in Hollywood, California. Sunshine was recognized for her exceptional performance in GMA Network?s highest-rating daytime drama series Ika-6 Na Utos as Emma. She personally flew to California to accept her award. Through an Instagram post, Sunshine thanked not only the award-giving body but also the entire team behind Ika-6 Na Utos. ?Thank you very much Gawad Amerika most specially to the Filipino Community for this recognition. I would also like to share this recognition to all our hardworking cast members, production staff, and crew of Ika-6 Na Utos, as well as to director Laurice Guillen for her guidance. It is ultimately a group effort to give our audience the best.? She also expressed her gratitude to the network and the
C
show?s loyal viewers. ?To my home network, GMA, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of memorable shows that honed me through the years to be where I am today as an artist. Sa lahat din po ng taga-suporta ng show, maraming salamat sa inyong pag-tangkilik at pag-subaybay sa amin,?she says. Gawad Amerika Awards is an annual celebration which recognizes the excellence of individuals and entrepreneurs who have gone above and beyond in their area of specialty. It is an independent award-giving body mainly composed of newspaper publishers and selected reputable community leaders. Organized by Gawad Amerika Foundation (GAF) in California, it aims to create an environment where Filipino-Americans can validate their importance in the American society and construct innovative projects to continually endorse fresh ideas and talents. Watch Ika-6 Na Utos even when abroad via GMA?s flagship international channel,GM A Pin oy TV.
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FI LCOM EV ENTS & A CTI V I TI ES
Pask u h an 2017 sh in es by BENN ADRIATICO The Fi li pi no Associ ati on of Denm ark (FAD), the oldest Fi li pi no associ ati on i n Scandi navi a, has held a w hole day Fi li pi no Chri stm as at Nørrebrohallen on Novem ber 11. The hygge cum fi esta X?m as celebrati on w as graced by 55 tradi ti onal li ghted colourful parols, hangi ng from the cei li ng of the hall. The tradi ti onal parols w ere handcrafted i n 14 eveni ngs usi ng bam boo sti ck s to form 3D stars then covered w i th si lk or japanese papers i n di fferent colors. The parols had created that nostalgi c Pi noy Chri stm as and w as augm ented by the selli ng of Pi noy foods, deli caci es, ri ce cakes, soups and vi ands popularly served duri ng Chri stm as season. The entertai nm ent w as rendered i n three di fferent parts: the Chri stm as Luau featuri ng songs and dances of Haw ai i and Tahi ti ; the Fi li pi no sui te featuri ng relevant dances li ke sak uti ng, pandanggo sa i law and oasi oas, sayaw sa bangk o and ti ni k li ng; the Vari ety Show , featuri ng songs rendered by local songbi rds, a drag show , a choi r si ngi ng Engli sh and Fi li pi no tradi ti onal carols, and sketch. The entertai nm ent hi ghli ghts w ere: Pastores a Belen (a Mexi can i nspi red dance perform ance to the m usi c of vi llaci nco); and Pask uhan, an FAD exclusi ve, a m edley of Chri stm as m usi c and practi ces w i th Panunuluyan as i ts center pi ece.
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