Yes Philippines NewsMagazine UK Edition - February 2023

PhotoCredits:Samir Hussein/WireImage

by MARY SOL PIMENTEL

?We?ve got great news from our home countryour president giving praise to the OFWs?role in enhancing our country?s image abroad, and a Pinay film actress winning international awards and a Golden Globe nomination Moreover, we have the privilege of publishing a piece by a multi-awardwinning Filipino writer.?

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

FEBRUARY is one of t he t w o coldest m ont hs, t he ot her being January We feel more optimistic about the weather when February comes because we know that Spring will soon be on its way bringing milder days with it But of course, that may not be so, as British weather is notoriously unpredictable

We literally see red during this month when shops put on their Valentine-themed displays of hearts, Cupids, cards, flowers and chocolates Some say that Valentine?s Day is too commercialised (just like Christmas is) and that bouquets and confectionery cost a fortune on this occasion Maybe so, but what woman would refuse a beloved?s offering of red roses and a box of Godiva?

Speaking of offerings, what we have for you in this issue is a labour of love, as always

We?ve got great news from our home countryour president giving praise to the OFWs?role in enhancing our country?s image abroad, and

a Pinay film actress winning international awards and a Golden Globe nomination Moreover, we have the privilege of publishing a piece by a multi-award-winning Filipino writer

We celebrate the Month of Romantic Love with an article telling us how we get a little loopy when we?re in love, but in a good way We?ve got a story about a Pinay bride who uniquely chose a five-kilo onion bouquet for walking down the aisle (Spoiler alert: She skipped the tossing ritual, in the interest of health and safety) Our main feature is about a well-known restaurateur couple?s love story

Our Philippine embassy in London had been busy hosting events, and we have those news stories for you A community group for Filipino mothers makes its debut in Yes Philippines

All these and more should make for an informative and enjoyable reading this month So, get started, and as you leaf through, why not sing or hum the famous Beatle song, ?All You Need Is Love??But go easy on those premium chocs!

Significant Events in FEBRUARY

THIRD of February 1945, t he Am erican forces liberat ed prisoners of w ar in Manila

On 3 February 1945, the American forces liberated nearly 4,000 prisoners of war in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) internment camp in Manila, which signalled the full American control and victory over the Japanese invaders in the Philippines

The month-long battle, which ended on 3 March 1945, destroyed the city and left scores of people dead It marked General Douglas MacArthur?s victory in the campaign of reconquest against Japanese military occupation from 1942 to 1945

The losing Japanese troops took out their anger and frustration on the civilians caught up in the crossfire, committing multiple acts of severe brutality, later known as the Manila Massacre

For the rest of the month, the Americans and Filipino guerrillas mopped up resistance throughout the city

An estimated 100,000 Filipino civilians were killed both deliberately by the Japanese and from artillery and aerial bombardment by the U S military forces About 12,000 Japanese soldiers died mostly sailors from the Japanese Manila Defence Force With Intramuros secured on 4 March 1945, Manila was officially liberated

4 Februa ry 1899, ma rked t he st a rt of t he Filipino-Americ a n Wa r

"Halt!" When the Filipinos continued their way, the American fired and killed one of them instantly along the now Sociego Street in Santa Mesa, Manila This triggered firing between both sides, which spread to Paco and Sta Ana

And so the Filipino-American War began

According to Spanish Professor J A Ranes in his Biographical Sketch of "Vibora", it was General Artemio Ricarte who led the Filipino troops, who were around Manila at the time, against the Americans

Although the Filipino forces were at a disadvantage, having no sufficient arms to fight the American troops, still it took the Americans almost three years to conquer the Filipinos

The war came to an end on 23 March 1901 with the capture of Aguinaldo by the Americans in Palanan, Isabela but resistance against the American occupation lingered in some parts of the country

10 Februa ry 1899, Kipling's " The Whit e M a n's Burden" wa s f irst published

Tillman asked:

Why are we bent on forcing upon them a civilization not suited to them, and which only means, in their view, degradation and a loss of self-respect, which is worse than the loss of life itself?

Four days later on 11 February 1899 the U S Congress ratified the "Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain" (Treaty of Paris, 1898), which established American imperial jurisdiction upon the archipelago of the Philippine Islands

The imperialist interpretation of "The White Man's Burden", proposes that the white man has a moral obligation to rule the non-white peoples of the Earth, whilst encouraging their economic, cultural, and social progress through colonialism until they can independently manage their own affairs

10 Februa ry 2003, Dr Joset t e Biyo wa s honoured by t he M a ssa c huset t s Inst it ut e of Tec hnology

On 10 February 2003, Dr Josette Biyo, a teacher at the Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas Campus, was honoured by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory by naming a minor planet or planetoid (13241) after her

Biyo noted that Filipino teachers can compete globally by introducing innovations and strategies for teaching despite problems such as the rapidly declining environment and the lack of equipment and facilities for scientific endeavours

Judges and teachers from different parts of the world were amazed that even in the absence of sophisticated equipment, Dr Biyo's students were able to produce "quality research outputs beyond their expectations "

11Februa ry 1861, Severino Reyes wa s born in St a Cruz, M a nila

On 11 February 1861, Severino Reyes, noted playwright, writer, dramatist and acclaimed as one of the giants of Tagalog and Filipino Literature in the early 20th century was born in Sta Cruz, Manila

Reyes was famous for writing "Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang" (Tales of Lola Basyang), a series of fairy tale stories told by Lola Basyang, an old woman with loadful of ancient stories stuck in her ancient baul

The stories appeared in Liwayway Magazine, which he co-founded on 18 November 1922, and eventually became the most-widely read prose feature of the magazine Reyes was also regarded as the Father of Filipino Plays due to his contribution in the arts and literature

One of the most cited and famous plays that he created was the zarzuela "Walang Sugat" (No Wounds) which tackled the bravery and dedication of the Katipuneros or the local revolutionary army of the Philippines during the later years of the Spanish occupation Reyes died on September 15 1942 at the age of 81

On 10 February 1899, the poem "The White Man s Burden: The United States and the Philippine Islands" by Rudyard Kipling, was first published in the New York Sun It was originally written for the Diamond Jubilee celebration of Britains Queen Victoria's reign, but was exchanged for the poem "Recessional" also by Kipling Later Kipling rewrote the text of "The White Man's Burden" to address the American colonization of the Philippine Islands

On 4 February 1899 at about eight o'clock in the evening, Private William Walter Grayson, together with two other members of his patrol, entered Barrio Santol in Sampaloc, Manila to find out whether there were Filipino soldiers in the vicinity

Upon seeing the Filipino soldiers, in the Santa Mesa area, the American sentry shouted

The White Man's Burden is a poetic celebration of imperialism, which Rudyard Kipling believed eventually would benefit the colonised peoples

Three days earlier, on 7 February 1899, on the senate floor, Senator Benjamin Tillman had read aloud three stanzas of "The White Man s Burden" in argument against ratification of the Treaty of Paris, and that the U S should renounce claim of authority over the Philippine Islands To that effect, Senator

Planet Biyo is nine kilometers in diameter and is located at the belt between Mars and Jupiter

Dr Biyo won in 2002 the grand prize in the Intel International and Engineering Fair in Louiseville, Kentucky

She presented before the panel of judges and about 150 teachers from all over the world her method of teaching Science Research to high school students in Iloilo

BYTHEKAHIMYANGPROJECT

Aerial view of thedevastatedManilainMay1945

Filipinooutpost at the SanJuanBridge,SantaMesa

RudyardKipling

Dr JosetteBiyo

SeverinoReyes

WESTERN UNION

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN LONDON HOSTS ANNUAL GATHERING OF FILIPINO STUDENTS

THE Philippine Em bassy in London has host ed about 100 guest s during it s recent annual year-end recept ion for Filipino st udent s in t he UK at Sent ro Rizal London Also in at t endance w ere several non-Filipinos learning t he Filipino language

In her remarks, Chargé d'Affaires, a i , Rhenita B Rodriguez welcomed the students to the yearly gathering of students hosted by the Embassy, which is both a year-end get-together and an acquaintance party aimed at providing an opportunity for Filipino students in the UK to get to know and network with one another She conveyed that the holiday season not only reminds everyone of families and friends back home, but also the traditions and customs that Filipinos hold dear She looked forward to more interactions between the Embassy and the student community in the UK

London-based Lahing Kayumanggi Dance Company provided entertainment with their rendition of a medley of Filipino folk dances The group, in coordination with the Embassy, also conducted a Sakuting dance workshop, wherein the basic steps and arm movements for said folk dance were taught to the students The Lahing Kayumanggi Dance Company performance and workshop were aimed at fostering awareness of Philippine cultural heritage among Filipino students in the UK

The year-end gathering is Post?s yearly tradition to bring together Filipino students in the UK and give them the opportunity to network with Embassy personnel and with one another

The event concluded with a salo-salo of traditional Filipino fare (Phot o Court esy: London PE)

Students enjoywatchingLondon-basedLahing Kayumanggi DanceCompanyperformFilipinofolk dances (topphoto)andtakingpart intheSakutingworkshop (photobelow)

Minister andConsul AnaMarieHernando(seated,middle),Consul ShienaEscoto-Tesosero(seated,2ndfromright),ViceConsul Emilio LopueJr (seatedm2ndfromleft)andEmbassypersonnel together withtheFilipinostudents

PBBM hails OFWs' vital role in enhancing PH image

RESIDENT

PFerdinand R Marcos Jr has recent ly heaped praises on t he overseas Filipino w orkers (OFWs) for t heir crucial role in paint ing a good pict ure of t he Philippines

"Napakaganda angkanilangtingin dahil sa mga Pinoy Ito ay dahil sa inyo, dahil sa inyong mga magandang ginagawa (They see the Philippines in a good light because of Filipinos This is because of the good work you are doing)," Marcos said before members of the Filipino community in Zurich, Switzerland

"Pinapaganda ninyo ang imahe ng Pilipinas sa buong mundo Ang sisipag, kaya talagang bilib silang lahat (You are burnishing the image of the Philippines to the whole world You are very industrious, that?s why they are all impressed "

He also thanked the OFWs for their hard work and contributions to the development of the Philippine economy

The President said he is "very appreciative" when it comes to OFWs because of their sacrifices noting that they are helping not just their families but also the country because of their remittances, which is a huge contributing factor to the Philippine economy

He assured OFWs that the government through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), would continue to provide assistance to them

"Itong department (DMW) na ito ay walang gagawin kundi intindihin ang kalagayan ng ating mga OFW na alam kong nagsisikap at kung minsan ay nangangailangan ng tulong (This department will attend to the welfare of our OFWs whom I know are working hard and sometimes need assistance)," Marcos said

Lastly, he said Filipinos working overseas deserve praise and recognition

"Dapat malaman ninyo kung gaano kahalaga angginagampanan ninyongtulongdito sa ating bansa (You should know how important your role is in helping our country)," he said "Kaya kailangan ko na rin sigurong dagdagan ang pasasalamat ko, hindi lang sa inyongginagawa, ngunit sa inyongtuluyangpagpaganda ngtingin ng buong mundo sa Pilipino (That?s why I also need to amplify my gratitude not just for your work but also for ultimately putting the image of Filipinos in a good light to the whole world) "

'Sat isfied' w it h WEF part icipat ion

Meanwhile, Marcos said he is "satisfied" with his and his official delegation?s accomplishments during and on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF)

Apart from attending WEF activities, he also held a series of business meetings on the sidelines of the international forum and met

President FerdinandR Marcos Jr thanks overseas Filipinoworkers (OFWs)for puttingthePhilippines ina goodlight,duringhis recent meetingwiththeFilipino communityinZurich,Switzerland Marcos also acknowledgedtheOFWs' sacrifices andcontributions to thedevelopment of thePhilippineeconomy.(Screenshot fromRadioTelevisionMalacañang)

with potential investors

"Tayo naman sa Pilipinas ay dahan-dahan nating binubuksan ang ating ekonomiya Dahan-dahan tayo ay lumalahok muli sa tinatawag na global economy Kaya't kailangan, magpakilala tayong muli (As for the Philippines, we are gradually reopening our economy We are again gradually participating in the global economy That's why we need to re-introduce our country)," he said, noting that he met with potential investors "We are satisfied that we were able to do most, if not all of the things that we wanted to do while we were here "

Avoiding being 't ram pled'

Marcos, in his recent interview with the Wall Street Journal on the sidelines of the WEF said the Philippines is also avoiding being ?trampled? by two competing superpowers, the United States (US) and China, adding that his administration is "walking a fine line between them "

"We are the grass in this situation We don? t want to get trampled,?he said

The Philippines, Marcos said, is in the "front line " given that 150 000 Filipino nationals live

in Taiwan and that the southern port city of Kaohsiung is 40 minutes away from the northernmost island of Batanes

The Philippines is also in a territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea, with Beijing claiming almost the entire busy waterway

The Philippines is also performing a balancing act, considering its bilateral ties with the US and China

China is one of the country?s largest trading partners, while the US and the Philippines have a long-standing defence treaty

In a separate interview with the Financial Times, Marcos confirmed he expected intensified military relations with the US, citing the possible strong presence of American troops in the Philippines

Marcos, however, ruled out the reopening of the former US military bases in Clark and Subic, saying it was against the country?s Constitution to allow foreign bases on its soil (PNA)

Source: Phil ppine New s Agency

BYRUTHABBEYGITA-CARLOS

advert

IMMIGRATION CORNER

Right to Remain / Work and Pending Applications

BYATTY.LIRASIMONCABATBAT

Avery com m on sit uat ion is w here an applicat ion is pending w it h t he Hom e Office and t he applicant requires confirm at ion, he has t he right t o live and w ork in t he UK In t his case, t he m ain provision t o consider is Sect ion 3c of t he Im m igrat ion Act 1971

Sect ion 3c leave

?(1) This section applies if?

(a)a person who has lim it ed leave t o ent er or rem ain in the United Kingdom applies to the Secretary of State for variation of the leave,

(b)the application for variation is made before t he leave expires, and

(c)the leave expires w it hout t he applicat ion for variat ion having been decided ?

3c leave (visa) means that the applicant?s immigration status will be treated as continuing, or in other words ?section 3c extends the person?s existing leave until the application is decided (or withdrawn)?(Home Office Guidance 18/01/2021)

Exam ple 1:

An applicant who is in the UK following grant

of a Spouse visa that expired on the 1st of May 2021, and who applied for extension of his visa on the 30th of April 2021 will have the benefit of 3c leave This means that he is permitted to remain in the UK with the same rights and restrictions he had during the duration of his Spouse visa even though this formally ended on the 30th of April 2021

As a Spouse visa holder, he has the right to live in the UK so this condition will simply continue His 3c leave also means that he is perfectly entitled to work in the UK His employer (and any future employer) can check with the Home Office via the Employment Checking Service for confirmation that he is allowed to work If the employer fails to carry out the relevant check and dismisses the applicant, simply because he is unable to show a current visa, the employer may face a claim for unfair dismissal

Appeals and 3c

Exam ple 2:

Taking the above scenario if the Applicant?s application for a Spouse visa is refused, the applicant will usually have 14 days to appeal the decision Provided he appeals in time, he will continue to benefit from 3c leave which provides:

?2) The leave is ext ended by virtue of this section during any period when?

(b) an appeal under sect ion 82(1) of the Nationality Asylum and Immigration Act 2002 could be brought, while the appellant is in the United Kingdom against the decision on the application for variation (ignoring any possibility of an appeal out of time with

permission),

(c) an appeal under that section against that decision, brought while the appellant is in the United Kingdom, is pending (within the meaning of section 104 of that Act)?

Where an appeal has been allowed the Home Office?s refusal/decision was likely to have been found by the Tribunal to be unlawful This will mean that the Home Office needs to remake the decision The effect of this is that the Applicant will have continuous leave to remain in the UK pursuant to section 3C(5)

Exam ple 3:

If an applicant?s appeal is dismissed, he may continue to rely on the 3c provision even after his appeal is dismissed Home Office Guidance states that 3c leave continuous where:

?t here is an onw ard right of appeal to the Upper Tribunal or Court of Appeal section? ?

The guidance goes on to state that: ?? a decision of the First-tier Tribunal can be appealed to the Upper Tribunal Permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal must be sought from the First-tier Tribunal within 14 days from when the written reasons for the decision were provided This means that unless the time limit to appeal is changed by the Tribunal under the case management powers set out in Rule 4 of the Tribunal Procedure Rules 2014 an appellant will always have a further 14 days of section 3C leave after they receive a decision from the First-tier Tribunal An appeal to the Court of Appeal is finally determined where

judgement has been given by the Court of Appeal so 3c leave continues provided the appeal is made in time but an appeal to the Supreme Court does not extend section 3Cleave ?

The above means that an applicant who challenges the First Tier Tribunal?s decision to dismiss his appeal may still benefit from 3c leave Consequently, the applicant in our above example will continue to have the right to live and work in the UK in accordance with his Spouse visa until his further challenge is finally decided, even as far as the Court of Appeal This is subject to the applicant?s appeal being submitted in time

Once the applicant?s appeal routes are exhausted and he failed to mount a successful challenge his 3c leave to remain will also cease

Varying an applicat ion during 3c leave

If the application has not yet been decided an applicant can seek to vary his application and not lose his 3c leave However, once his application is refused by the Home Office a new application will not reinstate his 3c leave For the applicant in our above example this means:

If he varies his application before the Home Office decides his Spouse application, he will continue to have 3c leave until his new application is decided

If he submits a new application aft er the Home Office decides his Spouse application, his 3c leave will have ceased, in the absence of an appeal, and this means that his previous conditions, granted by his spouse visa will also cease, including his right to work in the UK The Home Office may not take action to remove the applicant whilst his new application is ongoing, but he will no longer have a right to work This may well have very dire consequences for the applicant

Leaving t he UK and 3c leave

If the applicant in our above example leaves the UK before his application for extension of his visa is granted, 3c states that:

IMMIGRATION CORNER

?Leave extended by virtue of this section shall lapse if the applicant leaves the United Kingdom ?

Put simply if the applicant in our above case leaves the UK before his application is concluded, his 3c leave will also lapse This means he will need to make a new application, from abroad, for a visa to be able to come back into the UK

Im port ance and lim it s of 3c leave

As explained by the Home Office in their January 2021 guidance, the ?purpose of section 3C leave is to prevent a person who makes an in-time application to extend their leave from becoming an overstayer while they are awaiting a decision on that application and while any appeal or administrative review they are entitled to is pending ?

Loss of an applicant?s 3Cleave may result not only to loss of employment or job opportunities; it may also mean that the applicant?s stay in the UK is endangered In the above example, the applicant who has a Spouse visa seeking his second extension may find that loss of his 3c leave could result to being required to re-start his five-year probationary period from scratch or in some cases it could mean having to leave the UK

It should also be noted that the 3c provision does not confer additional rights Consequently, someone who did not have 3c leave when he made his application does not gain the right to work simply by

making an application Accordingly, an applicant who has a student visa and applies before the expiration of his leave to remain in the UK as a Spouse will still be bound by his student visa restrictions, say in relation to employment, until his Spouse application is granted

Share Code

Employers may request a ?share code? This can be obtained from the Home Office via an online application The link is: https://www gov uk/prove-right-to-work You input your data such as your biometric residence permit number and at the end of the exercise you will be provided a code; this is what your employer requires With this they will then carry out their own checks with eh Home Office

A share code effectively works as permission from you for your employer to receive confirmation of your right to work The information they receive will be limited to this The result of the check will also flag up if you are not allowed to work

HAPPIER THE SECOND TIME AROUND

THE period bet w een Christ m as Day and New Year ?s Eve t ends t o be relat ively quiet , but in t he case of rest aurat eurs Chris Joseph and Row ena Rom ulo, yet a new chapt er w as about t o begin

On 29th December, the powerhouse couple behind Kasa & Kin, the Soho restaurant, bar and bakery and Romulo Café London, their bastion of Filipino cuisine in Kensington, were married in an intimate, low-key ceremony in Kensington and Chelsea Old Town Hall In front of 15 close friends and family, including Chris?son Christian who had flown in from the USand Rowena?s daughter Giulia who travelled from Milan they publicly exchanged the vows they already had privately between them, for many years At the reception held at the Michelin-starred Elystan Street, a message from Ali, Chris?daughter based in the US was read during the tributes which summed up the warmth and love all present felt for the newlyweds ?

Theirs is the story of things meant to be Chris and Rowena were first introduced by their mutual best friend nearly forty years ago It was a time before dating apps, when people still relied on what now seem like quaint traditions such as going out on a first date arranged by people you know, and getting to know each other over a series of events It helped that both had gone to university at De La Salle in Taft Avenue in Manila, when students were still called ?La Sallistas? , and their parents?houses where they both lived were relatively close by in Makati

Chris recalls, ?Back then, it was popular to go out dancing at weekends with friends as a group We went to discos in Manila like Where Else at Intercon or Stargazer at the Sheraton We also liked hanging out at some well-known restaurants and bars like the Prince of Wales or San Mig pub in Makati At the time too, there were many up and coming areas like MH del Pilar in Manila for more intimate nights out with friends ?

They would both come away with great impressions ?When I first met Rowena, I was enthralled by her beauty and personality,?says Chris ?I thought Chris was a fun person to go out with, and I suspected we had much in common,?says Rowena Before long, they were a couple And then they broke up

BYGINACONSING-MCADAM

Chris was sent to London for work Rowena wanted Chris to return to the Philippines as her banking career was taking off and it wouldn? t have been practical for her to consider uprooting herself to join him On top of that, she was opening the first Thai restaurant in the Philippines

For twenty years they would be separated by the geographical boundaries Rowena enjoyed an international banking career Based in Italy, she was one of the few women to hold a leadership position for well-known global banks Citigroup and JP Morgan Chris, while living in America (one of six countries he?s lived in), enjoyed a successful career as an international restaurant franchise executive His area of responsibility spanned over 50 countries and he was involved in opening 22 new markets for a number of leading restaurant brands like Domino?s, and Krispy Kreme

Then fate intervened when both travelled to Manila at the same time, Chris for work and Rowena to attend her father?s milestone birthday Once again, their mutual best friend helped to arrange a lunch which led to their falling in love all over again This second time around however, things are different

Chris says ?The benefits of maturity and our both having had international careers that allowed us to see more of the world and experience a vast array of cultures, made us appreciate what is really true and genuine We were now more determined to pursue only those things that were truly important to us True love, true friends and our children

?The wedding was an intimate celebration of our love Many thought that we were officially already wed, but circumstances prevented us from going down that route earlier But with our kids and some relatives visiting over the holidays, we knew that this would be the perfect gift to give each other and our families It was also just before we were due to go home to Manila together post-pandemic and we wanted to celebrate this long overdue blessing with our families there ?

Being married has made a difference Their family has grown, with friends through the years now ?officially related?through the marriage of Chris and Rowena ?Like our kids and puppies who have been with us all this time, life is just a celebration of how each new day just leads to another day We will enjoy being together always and forever!?

KARENMAEVENTURA

AGE:24

BASEDINTHEUK:Oxfordshire

HOBBIES: Gym,listeningtomusic,homeDIYand renovating.

Occupation: Dental technicianinaprestigious laboratoryinOxford

AMBITION:Tobeawell knowndental technicianandtravel theworld

MOTHER:ElizabethVentura

FATHER:BenedictoVentura

FACE THEMONTH OF

House leader lauds actress Dolly de Leon's Golden Globe nomination

BYFILANEMIKEECERVANTES

SHE had earlier w on t he Best Support ing Perform er aw ard in t he Los Angeles Film Crit ics Associat ion (LAFCA) Aw ards for her perform ance in t he sam e film

She is the first Filipino to be nominated at the Golden Globe Awards

The chairperson of the House Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts on Thursday lauded Filipina actress Dolly de Leon?s nomination in the prestigious Golden Globe Awards

Pangasinan Representative Christopher de Venecia said De Leon s nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category is the "fruit of her achievement" in the highly-acclaimed film, Triangle of Sadness, that would "turn the world's eyes towards the Philippines as a hotbed of Filipino talent"

"Let?s celebrate her nomination, and hope for an Oscar nomination to continue her ground-breaking streak and make history," De Venecia said "Dolly?s Golden Globe nomination may not be the last in this year?s awards cycle because Triangle of Sadness has generated much buzz in the industry "

De Venecia said he is expecting more high-quality acting opportunities for De Leon and other Filipino actors, now that she has drawn much attention for her remarkable role in the movie

"Dolly has come a long way from her first film credit in Shake Rattle & Roll III in 1991 She has acted in a slew of films and theatre productions, more so since 2019 Dolly is destined for more films and TVseries now that international producers and audiences have taken keen notice of her," he said

He emphasized the need to provide more opportunities for Filipino talent to shine on the global stage, especially with the implementation of RA 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act to help make this possible

"Dolly?s achievement would hopefully embolden more Filipino actors to audition for films and TVroles not just in the United States, but also in Asia and Europe and that international studios would hire more Filipino talent Filipino actors must prove to the

entire world there are more Dolly de Leons here in the Philippines," he said

He noted that his panel has discussed tapping on government support to launch a massive campaign for the Oscars, as well as exploring possible private-public partnerships to raise support for film campaigns and co-productions

Other proposals that the House committee tackled were unbundling the costs of cinema tickets; reactivating the Film Academy of the Philippines through the Cultural Center of the Philippines and submit timely entries to the Oscars; creating an accounting framework for the film industry defining the market structure and tracing out the flow of funds to identify current demand in the industry; and addressing the lack of statistics and official definitions in the film industry, through updating the Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC) codes, pursuant to RA 11904

(With reports from Anadolu/PNA)

Editor?s note: Flipnoactress Do ydeLeonhasrecently wontheawardfor Best Actressina SupportingRoleat theGuldbaggeAwards in Swedenfor her performanceinthe nternat onal fi m Triangeof Sadness

Iloilo bride ditches flowers for onion bouquet

BYPERLALENA

WITH t he exorbit ant price of onions t hese days, an Ilongga bride chose pract icalit y over aest het ics w hen she carried an onion bouquet w hen she w alked dow n t he aisle inst ead of t he t radit ional collect ion of daint y w hit e or colourful flow ers

April Lyka Biorrey-Nobis, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday, said she didn? t mind carrying four to five kilos of an onion bouquet which she said was practical and unique for her Jan 21 wedding day to her boyfriend of five years

April Lyka, 28 from Bingawan in Iloilo, said at first they planned to use flowers but she got the idea of having onions with a touch of flowers for her bouquet while browsing through social media ?I accidentally saw a bouquet made of onions with a touch of flowers I immediately contacted our coordinator who said that we can use the concept for our wedding,?she said in vernacular in a phone interview

She asked permission from her groom, Erwin Nobis, 35 years old from Estancia, Iloilo, to use the concept and he readily agreed

April Lyka said flowers would only be for display after the wedding and once withered would just be thrown away

Onions are practical since they can still be used after the wedding, she added Their coordinator immediately ordered online from a supplier in La Union since there is none in Iloilo Four days before their wedding day, a sack of onions arrived

The bride said the price of one sack of onions at PHP8,000 is even lower than the price of traditional flowers, for which they originally set aside PHP15,000 ?After the wedding the onions were given to our godparents and bridesmaid so they have with them onions for souvenirs I also gave my bouquet to our relatives for their everyday use,?she added

However, they skipped the traditional throwing of bouquets to prevent any injury she added

EL L u s h o w y o u r l o v e

John and I met in Iloilo City, Philippines He was a volunteer for Associate Missionaries of Assumption

Philippines while I worked as SpeD teacher in Emmanuel Foundation for Children with Special Needs under Dr Linda Que?s Mentorship I had to mention Dr Que, as she was a wonderful mentor to both of us

We will soon be celebrating 13 years of marriage along with our four children

Why did you c hoose t o l iv e in t he UK inst ead of t he Phil ippines?

Originally, we planned to spend the first ten years of our married life here in the UK and the rest in the Philippines John was charmed by the Philippines He appreciates our culture and traditions Not to mention, he is also fond of the fiestas and the food

God has a different plan for our lives At 29, John had his hip replacement Most importantly, we both got baptised as Christians and from then on, we have actively fulfilled compassionate ministries roles His career progressed and I started to settle We have formed a lovely community in Manchester We have our close friends who have become a part of our lives like sanguine relatives Further along, we have moved to Wales in 2021 We felt God has called us to be here We are now part of Woodhill Baptist Church and Lighthouse Missional Church

Going home to the Philippines for good is still in our plan God willing

Aside f r om famil y , w hat ?s keeping you busy t hese days?

As mentioned, we were active with community, and missional church I lead a

very busy church playgroup called BayTots here in Colwyn Bay, North Wales whilst on break as a primary teacher here in England and Wales

I created this support group called The Filipino Mothers UK in 2021 with the aim of providing support for Filipino mothers here The mission is to connect and form relationships In addition we hope to make everyone less homesick by providing conversations closer to home Most importantly, for Filipino mothers to reach out and form relationships even before coming to the UK I have started our version of talking therapy called Coffee Meetings Chat This is an online video chat I have dedicated most of my time to this At present, I am happy to say that we do have volunteers who independently run this, and creative mothers who volunteer their giftings to other similar activities

What is your most c hal l enging ex per ienc e IN being a mot her her e in THE UK?

Being foreign, a mother and a Filipina is no easy feat Arriving here in the UK means leaving your comfort zone Adjustment is having to adapt to everything - culture, language and accents, educational system, weather, work environment and having to immerse yourself in the community Little did I know that motherhood aggravates the feelings of anxiety, loneliness, isolation, and homesickness As if we weren? t busy enough we found out I was pregnant again two months after giving birth All the information from parenting books I?ve diligently read, seemed to vanish into thin air All the preparation went kaput My brain completely shut down and I was diagnosed with borderline post-natal depression

To make things worse, I knew nothing about domestic life so I was shocked

CONTINUED TO PG 24

NorthWaleMums

to ensure your body has enough iodine? Use iodized salt"

INSIDE every Filipino kit chen, t here's a good chance you'll find a pack of iodized salt for cooking

This thanks primarily to the Philippines' ASIN Law or an Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide, signed as Republic Act No 8172 in 1995 by then President Fidel V Ramos, that aims to promote the use of iodized salt to address the lack of micronutrients in the country It also requires all salt manufacturers to iodize the salts they produce and distribute

Iodized salt is salt that has iodine added to it The main advantage of iodized salt is that it can help prevent iodine deficiency, which can lead to goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland) and other health problems Iodine is an essential nutrient that the body needs in small amounts to function properly It is particularly important for the proper development of the brain and nervous system in fetuses and infants Additionally, iodized salt is also helpful in preventing iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) such as hypothyroidism, cretinism, and mental retardation

However, there seems to be a need to have more clarification regarding what iodized salt truly is and whether or not it should be a part of the diet, although it is a household staple

According to a study done by the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) in 2018-2019, only 6 out of 10 (59 5%) Filipino households use Iodized Salt, even though 7 out of 10 (67 3%)

Filipino households are aware of it In contrast, only 36 0% of Filipino households use iodized salt adequately

Around 52 5% of meal planners, on the other hand, perceive iodized salt as something clean or refined Only 47 5% are aware of its benefits: 28 1% prevent goiter, 16 5% added with iodine, 14 3% good for the body, 4 7% good for the brain, and 0 8%good for pregnant mothers

If you don't eat a lot of seafood, fresh milk products, or eggs, iodized salt is the simplest way to ensure enough iodine is in your diet

There may be a few challenges associated with the use of iodized salt, however One is that some people may be allergic to iodine, and consuming iodized salt could cause an allergic reaction in these individuals Another challenge is that some people may consume too much iodine if they use iodized salt excessively in their food which can lead to iodine toxicity and related health problems

Finally, a more recent challenge is that some people are reducing their salt intake for health reasons, such as to lower their risk of heart disease, and may avoid consuming iodized salt as a result This can make it more difficult for these people to get enough iodine in their diet

However, studies show that a lack of iodine in the body may cause goiter or the enlargement of thyroid glands, neurodevelopmental deficits and growth retardation in the fetus, miscarriage, and stillbirth, mental retardation, hypothyroidism, cretinism, increased morbidity and mortality of infants, and impaired cognitive development

The good news is that taking enough iodine can help you prevent all these disorders by maintaining normal thyroid function and thus enhancing your mood, energy, and memory

Local Government Units (LGUs) in National Capital Region (NCR), such as Pasig City, ensure that Pasigueños get enough iodine by passing the Pasig City Ordinance No 54, series of 2022 that grants sari-sari store owners who earn not more than P250,000 annually and sell food items labelled with the Sangkap Pinoy logo, which is given to producers that add iron, vitamin A and iodine to their goods get a special tax-free permit

Through these approaches, the government, private businesses and other stakeholders help in protecting and promoting the health of Filipinos, maintain an effective food regulatory system, and assist in providing the entire population especially women and children with proper nutrition (PIA-NCR)

Source: Phil ppine Inform at ion Agency

"Want

GALLERY

CONTINUED FROM PG 21

How did you overcome those challenges?

After swallowing my pride, I opened up to my husband and told him that I am not the superwoman I thought I was I sought help This was where recovery started My husband, who was occupied with full-time work and postgraduate studies at that time, has allotted time for his own chores to do at home After all, parenting is teamwork especially when you have Irish twins

Secondly, we asked our Health Visitor for provisions for young families like us Fortunately, back in 2012, there were plenty of services that were free We were given a HomeStart Buddy, who helped me conquer my social anxiety In the children?s centre there were many mothers who were in the same shoes I was led to playgroups Joining the playgroup was the beginning of everything new for me and for my family

The church playgroup was hospitable The person who used to run it, is now my best friend We started coming to church Fast forward, the church community was our pillar of strength I thank God every day for bringing us to Nazarene Church My suffering was worth it We got baptised Life has changed After a couple of years I managed the Happy Tots playgroup This experience with children, has opened doors for my teacher training Soon, I qualified God has answered our prayers

What adv ic e w oul d you giv e t o our Fil ipino mot her s her e in THE UK?

I always tell the ladies in my Filipino Mothers UK to give themselves a time to adjust I have heard anonymous rant in my group wanting to give up after a couple of months here in the UK It is hard, but know that everything is a phase in life I gave myself 3 years to surpass all stages of adjustment Just condition your mind that it is not going to be in the honeymoon stage all the time

We also not need to look back to our old life in the Philippines This was my mistake I always thought that being a mother in the Philippines would be easier because of the extended family and overflowing availability of help Let us not dwell on it too much

Always have an open communication with your husband and write down expectations Write down family goals whether it is financial or career Life is not a race, enjoy the journey You hear this often but take it to heart It helps with anxiety We cannot enjoy life if we are always in a rush

Seek professional help Do not suffer in silence It will not be easy at first to admit lapses Asking help is a form of self-care Even if it is baby-steps moves, in time you will have great leaps

Reach out to a community It could be a virtual one but it could evolve into the real thing We, at Filipino Mothers UK have witnessed these blossoming friendships It is also wise to find a playgroup to have a break, have adult conversations and play with you kids in a different setting

MyFamily

Insist on ?ME? time This is beneficial for your mental health Go out with friends, have some quiet time in the library or go for a walk

Meet-up with families who have children of the same age There goes your hands-free entertainment for an hour

Tel l us mor e about FILIPINO MOTHERS UK, w her e can w e f ind you?

Filipino Mothers UK is a support group accessible through Facebook In order to gain access to our private group, one must answer our entry questions

Our entry questions are there to make our group a safe space If you are a mother in the UK, or a mother whose deployment is UK or a mother returning to the UK, you are most welcome to join us Please take note, I

repeatedly use the word MOTHER There are so many fathers who are trying to access our group

We do Prayer meetings, Bible study, Coffee Morning, SEN group intervention (thankful to other moderators who created this group for the specific need of our mothers), Talking Inah Mu ? (podcast version), and a MARKET DAY to support our mumpreneures We also organised different events like, Arts and Crafts competition Essay Competitions with TINIG UK and many more Our mommies who have expertise in certain fields also have provide webinars

We are coming to our 2nd year as a private group Our members are growing and actively participating We are not going anywhere; we are staying as long as we are needed

Thank you, Yes Philippines for t his opport unit y

Love, mental illness, and blind loyalty

BYROBERTLABAYEN

IF you?ve been in love, you?ve been m ent ally ill

To avoid any quarrel, let?s agree that this statement is an exaggeration

Dr Frank Tallis wrote that the behaviour of most lovers can qualify for the diagnoses of obsessional illness, depression or manic depression In the book Love Sick : Love as a Mental Illness he noted that some common symptoms of love like preoccupation with a loved person, tearfulness and euphoria can be checked against the diagnostic criteria for mental illness

In the Wall Street Journal website Tara Parker-Pope published the article entitled Is It Love or Mental Illness?They?re Closer Than You Think She reported about a brain study in which ?love-struck participants showed a drop in serotonin levels similar to those with obsessive-compulsive problems ?

We may not agree that we had once acted like a lunatic However, we may concur with neuroscience professor David J Linden who said in the book, The Compass of Pleasure, that love can affect the judgment center of the brain He observed that people in love see their adored ones as better, smarter and more good-looking than everybody else

In many movies, I hear the leading man tell the love interest she?s ?the most beautiful woman in the world?even though it's obvious to us that she's not even the most beautiful in the room You may have heard of people who have ?a face only a mother can love?

Love that overpowers judgment can lead to blind loyalty

Sometimes, we defend our favourite personalities, brand or organisation with the same zeal or even more fervour as when we stand up for our partner or children Many have the tendency to tune out to criticisms about their champion When an expose comes up, we are quick to debunk it as a fabrication

It is interesting how even intelligent and usually credible people become selective of what they will believe in Or speak about Some of those who are loyal to the death may be aware of the truth but would not change course They would stay to protect their hero, or their own interests

Bill George, in the famous book True North, narrated the true story of David Gergen, one of Richard Nixon?s speechwriters Gergen grew up with strong values When the Watergate scandal broke out, he chose to stay even after many among the White House staff have already quit He admitted, ?My resignation would have made a public statement about my lack of belief in President Nixon?s integrity So, I stayed and kept hoping against hope he was innocent ?

Even when he was finally convinced of Nixon?s guilt he confessed he couldn? t leave lest he be seen as ?a rat leaving the sinking ship ?He regretted that experience

Blind loyalty can ruin a company In related articles in this blog, I have written about how the devil?s advocate, a concept invented in the Vatican can protect an office from the dangers of groupthink

Without advocating wrongdoing, I would like to suggest the use of love to keep an entrenched position in the hearts of people

Today, it is not enough for a brand or a person to just be known, admired, preferred You have to be loved Without love, one bad social media post can tear you down When you are loved, people can be more forgiving They can stay much longer before the scale tips

At the beginning of this millennium, Saatchi & Saatchi Chairman Kevin Roberts proposed the concept of Lovemarks He described ?lovemarks?as the future beyond brands It is about people having a strong emotional attachment to products, companies or people

Citing examples like Harry Potter, Swiss Army, Harley Davidson, Coke, Apple, Nike and the like, he defined lovemarks as ?brands that people talk about These are brands that people will stay up all night for These are brands that would cause riots if they were taken off the market These are the brands

which create a kind of madness ?the madness we call Love ?

Marketeers and PRexperts know that for a brand or a person to be loved, they must be authentic They must be truly good inside, genuinely caring about other people?s welfare

In the book, The Attention Economy, Thomas H Davenport and John C Beck advised that the ?best way to get more attention is to give more attention ?

I would say the best way to get more love is to give more love

??peoplein loveseetheir adoredones as better,smarter andmore good-looking thaneverybody else.?

MY CRAB MENTALITY

BYBUTCHDALISAY

Im ade a sm all killing at t he poker t ables over t he

w eekend, so

w hen Beng dragged m e t o SM Cubao

yest erday t o spend her balat o, I decided t o t reat m yself t o a princely feast --of crabs! We w alked over t o Farm ers Market and as it w as t he end of t he day, I w as able t o get five huge crabs for less t han P1 500 (t he price you'd pay for just one of t hem at Red Crab)

Why crabs? Let m e share a Barfly piece I w rot e alm ost 30 years ago, w hen crab w as P210/ kilo (it w as P750/ kilo at Farm ers yest erday)

I LOVEcrabs That goes as well for shrimps, prawns, lobsters, clams, and nearly anything that's lived in the ocean May they find eternal repose in my guts

My passion for seafood began, I suppose, in childhood when we had almost nothing but galunggong--the old "GG"--morning, noon and night: daing na GG, piniritong GG, sinigang na GG, tinapang GG, inihaw na GG, binurong GG, etc It was cheap, it was available, and sometimes it was red-eyed

Now and then we got some relief, in the form of canned sardines and cuttlefish, the latter pickled in brine that I always understood to be sabaw The sardines came in large oval tins that made great toy cars the minute you licked them dry; you punched holes in the sides with a nail drove a tingting through (leading your mother to wonder about the progressive depilation of her walis), and attached four tansans for wheels

But we were talking about food values, weren't we?Oh, yes, sardines "Ligo" should rate right up there with "xerox" for generic excellence (hm, is that an oxymoron or what?) It was the only sardine brand we knew aside from the occasional "Tome " which we had on special days On truly special days, there was Libby's Corned Beef and Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup

Everything great and wonderful came in cans

I know I'm digressing, but bear with me for a while, because I intend to build up dramatically towards my real subject, which is crabs Back to cans: do you know what "Ligo" means?Have a little respect for what you eat, folks, and read the label It means "Liberty Gold"--at least it did, originally ("Tansan," for that matter, was a soft-drink brand )

"Ligo" retained its special place in my undergraduate heart In the early 70s, when there was always some rally or other to go to in the afternoon--which meant we had to fortify ourselves with a decent lunch--my fellow Maoists and I repaired to the rear of Vinzons Hall in Diliman, climbed over the wall, and crossed the street to what everyone called the "Balara Hilton " It was a ramshackle carinderia with wire-mesh windows, and its blue-plate special was a can of Ligo opened by the chef and sauteed right before your very eyes in the finest traditions of Hong Kongs seafood restaurants All this was dumped into a bowl to go with a plate of steaming rice, for P2 50 No Visa or MasterCard

During my first visit to the USin 1980, I walked a mile across cornfields and white picket fences to find an Asian food store in the middle of the freezing Midwest, there to load myself up with--you guessed it--Ligo I had a small cache of the same in my luggage when I flew to Scotland last September (I was through with walking and foraging, I said to myself) Am I glad that 747 didn t blow up; the whole cabin would've smelled like anchovies

Those of you who don't understand this Pinoy passion for canned sardines have to know that, in many corners of this archipelago Ligo's as good as gold Don't be miffed when a farmer or fisherman in the boonies opens a can for you, his special guest from the Big City, instead of broiling you some of that luscious tuna he's feeding his dogs He's offering you the most highly-prized item on the rural menu, short of corned beef: that s right, canned sardines You and I would prefer fresh seafood, of course--if we could afford it Sometimes I think that my whole working life's been a struggle to finally afford fresh seafood--GG, biya and tulya excluded thank you Seafood's one of the great blessings of this country, as

any trip to the fish market will tell you Coupled with penury, it also makes for one of our lousiest ironies

Now, I won't be cute and say I'm still that poor Thanks to the credit card, I'm indentured to Citibank for life But much of that debt s gone to living out my fantasies, such as dining out at places which take credit cards You know, of course, that you're getting ripped off twice over, by the meal and by the interest rate I always think, "Hell, I could ve cooked that at home at a fifth of the cost!" (Details of my shady past as a onetime Chinese fast-food cook will have to wait for another Barfly ) So why didn't I?Because, aside from the thrill of eating at someone elses place and then paying with a stroke of a ballpen, the old GG mindset hasn't really left me I guess Whenever Beng and I cruise the seafood stalls at Farmers Market, I drool all over the slabs of marlin and the mounds of giant prawn and--yes!--the tubs of big fat and mean-eyed crabs And then I look at the prices--about P210/kilo these days for those sumptuous Shivas, about two of them to the kilo, vs about P48/kilo for GG--and I freeze in guilt and shame A hundred-peso crab?That's criminal!

Well, crime finally got the better of me the other day I saved a hundred bucks by successfully evading one inaanak over Christmas, marched down to Farmers with Beng, and, after exercising all the delicacy and restrained lechery of a beauty-contest judge, I picked out my hapless victim He was all of 600 grams, and he looked like he was a baby when Admiral Dewey's Olympia

steamed over his head I paid the vendor, who stuffed him in a plastic bag, and I drove home with my dinner on the floor, wondering if I had a pot large enough for murder I was hoping, meanwhile, that he would die with a quiet little crab-groan; our apartment has a no-pet policy

As it turned out, I had a deep frying pan I set the crab on the kitchen counter while I went about my preparations, lacing the boiling water with salt and with such condiments as I thought would penetrate his skull

"Dinner for two coming up," I announced to Beng

"I think I'll have a problem with this one," she said "It's alive "

Yegads, indeed it was Its massive claws were tied with string, but its eyes twitched and stared like daggers into my soul "Well, Beng," I reasoned looking away "so were hotdogs at some point " Besides, I seriously doubted if crabs had pain receptors in their brains--sort of read that in some National Geographic I thought

"Enjoy yourself," she said, chopping up some dead mushrooms So what was I to do? Fortunately, I remembered what the Indian hunters did before spearing buffalo: they prayed to its spirit and begged its forgiveness

So, I prayed to the crab "Be assured," I said, "that no one loves you more than I do " And I dropped it into the pan and shut the lid Sic transit

Ed t or ?s not e: We feel pr vileged t o have been given perm ission t o publish t he art icle below by t he w ell-know n, m ult i-aw ard-w inning F lipino w rit er jose Y Dalisay Jr , w hich he has recent ly post ed on Facebook w it h an int roduct ion

ECONOMIC MANAGERS CONDUCT PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC BRIEFING AND FINANCIAL LITERACY SESSION IN LONDON

THE Philippine Econom ic Managers, headed by Secret ary of Finance Benjam in E Diokno, visit ed London t o conduct a briefing on t he Philippine econom y for Brit ish com panies and invest ors as w ell as a Financial Lit eracy Session for t he Filipino com m unit y

Secretary Diokno was accompanied by Secretary of Budget and Management Amenah F Pangandaman, National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Rosemarie G Edillon and Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Felipe M Medalla

The Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) was the first post-pandemic in-person conference by the Philippine economic team in the United Kingdom The briefing covered the socio-economic agenda of President Ferdinand R Marcos, Jr and the latest developments in the Philippine economy, including views on growth and inflation

Attendees also heard about the government?s spending priorities, fiscal and infrastructure programmes, as well as recent reforms that further open the Philippine economy to 100 per cent foreign ownership of public services and renewable energy

The Financial Literacy Session for the Filipino community was an opportunity for the economic managers to meet and engage with Overseas Filipinos based in the United Kingdom Over a hundred members of the community representing various organisations attended the session where they learned about how to invest their hard-earned savings

The economic managers were joined at the session by representatives from the Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines and Metro Remittance UK (London PE)

(Left toright)DBMUndersecretary MargauxMarieSalcedo,DBMSecretaryAmenah Pangandaman,BSPGovernor FelipeMedalla,DOFSecretaryBenjaminDiokno, NEDA UnderscretaryRosemarieEdillon Mr Saif Malik of StandardCharteredand BSPManagingDirector AntonioJoselitoLambinoIIIduringthepanel discussionat the PhilippineEconomic Briefing

Charged'Affaires RhenitaB Rodriguezdelivers theWelcomingRemarks duringthe Financial LiteracySessionwiththeFilipinoCommunity

Mr DannyFavor of Bicol United-UKasks Mr Nicholas Chuaof theDevelopment of Bank of thePhilippines aquestionduringtheOpenForumof theFinancial LiteracySession

BSPGovernor FelipeMedallaanswers questions fromtheaudienceduringtheFinancial LiteracySessionwiththeFilipinoCommunity SeqatedwithhimareSecretaryDiokno, SecretaryPangandaman,andUndersecretaryEdillon

(Left toright)Mr LauroBajaIIIandMs BeaMartinof UBS,BSPGovernor FelipeM Medalla,Mr RichardGrahamMP,FinanceSecretaryBenjaminDiokno, Minister for External Relations of JerseyDeputy PhilipOzouf

PHILIPPINE WEARABLE ART TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN LONDON FASHION WEEK 2023

PAMPINAY an up-and-com ing Philippine avant garde fashion house, w ill show case it s lat est collect ion in t he House of Ikons runw ay on 18 February 2023 at Leonardo Royal Hot el London St Paul's during London Fashion Week

The innovative designers of PamPinay, Pamela Gotangco and Christian Belaro have created a new spin on traditional Filipiniana dresses and costumes like the bolero, the terno and the baro? t saya making them wearable sleek and fun

PamPinay designers Ms Gotangco and Ms Belaro?s creative use of sustainable materials such as the binakol and kantarines handwoven fabric from Abra, the embroidery, art and beading of the Tboli tribe in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, and the inabel from Ilocos will also be put on display during the fashion show

The opportunity to showcase its wearable art limited edition at the London Fashion Week is a testament to PamPinay?s creative use of sustainable materials, upcycled pieces and incorporation of handwoven fabrics from Philippine indigenous groups

PamPinay?s story started at the height of the worldwide lockdown due to the Covid 19 pandemic In March 2021, Europe-based Filipina artists Gotangco and Belaro set up a social project to help and answer the needs of Filipina seamstresses and weavers in the Philippines

The up-and-coming fashion brand was born out of the creativity of Gotangco, a multi-awarded visual artist based in Switzerland, and Belaro, a graphic fashioner based in England Both women designed and produced a collection of high-quality wearable art showcasing fully Filipino-crafted designs, with the aim to promote social entrepreneurship, sustainability and responsible branding

An online collaboration was formed when strict travel restrictions were imposed during the pandemic The first design was ready by May 2021 and was produced a month after

Working across three countries, the first collection was launched The PamPinay process starts with Ms Gotangco painting the fabric design in Switzerland, translating the design digitally in the UK, printing the fabrics in the Philippines, and then coordinating with several communities of seamstresses and weavers to create the final product

With its participation in this year?s London Fashion Week, PamPinay hopes not only to promote Filipino creativity and culture but also to make a positive impact in the fashion world

PamPinay focuses on promoting ethical fashion, and most importantly empowers women seamstresses in the Philippines The brand encourages thoughtful consumption by offering an alternative based on meaning, culture, and social impact Both Gotangco and Belaro advocate a slow fashion approach that is observed through the entire supply chain ? from the ethical sourcing of raw materials to fair trade practices for people animals and the environment ?We promote women empowerment by providing fair income opportunities for seamstresses back home,?both of them shared

LOVE IS SHARING

BYVIVAANDRADAO'FLYNN

FEBRUARY is t he m ont h of love Love t o m e is all about sharing When I w as invit ed t o give a t alk at JOLT Gloucest er ?s Co-Lab, I shared m y journey as an ent repreneur of Love Viva Cakes and Craft s

Entrepreneurship isn? t easy Starting and growing a business can be challenging yet rewarding at the same time To make it as an entrepreneur, there are hurdles to overcome such as money or lack of it, budgeting, marketing, managing customers?expectations, etc There are times it feels lonely on my entrepreneurial journey I am grateful for opportunities to attend networking events, collaborate with others, learn from others, and at times share my expertise

Based on their website, JOLT is a creative hub in Gloucester; managed by Gloucester Culture Trust It provides support and space to help local creators start, build and run the Creative Industry JOLT CO-LAB happens every first Thursday of the month, 6:30 pm onwards It is free to attend with food and drinks also provided Here, people ages 18-30 can network in a relaxed and comfortable environment with their peers, connecting with other local creatives Industry experts are invited to share what they do and host workshops

On the 2nd of February, I was the invited guest speaker who shared inspiration with the younger generation of creatives at JOLT CO-LAB event They asked me thought provoking questions from starting a business, why I love what I do, my plans for the future, and more We capped the evening with a cookie decoration workshop which all the attendees enjoyed!

To know more about JOLTGloucester visit https://joltgloucester com/

To know more about Love Viva Cakes and Crafts, visit: https://loveviva co