The joy of watching the Philippine...

on one foot], and leaped. After, they bowed, and got up.”

When I asked her what pirouetted meant, she demonstrated it and added,“they also had beautiful dresses.”

Her first level observation synchronized with the synopsis. It was a story about a boy who grew up in the province, alongside a girl whom he played with, until sunset. In that playful interaction, they grew to love one another. But, the boy has dreams and sets out to chase them. Tempted by the city’s other beauties, he kept pushing them away, recalling his happy memories of love and finally returns to the countryside where his heart belongs to the woman he left behind.

Full cast in Act I had Alexis Piel, Carl Lacaba, Gabrielle Jaynario, Gladys Baybayan, Jimmy Lumba, Kim Abrogena, Maika Samson, Mara Francisco, Matthew Davo, Regine Magbitang, Sophie Tiangco, Therese Riego, and Veronica Atienza.

Of the twelve dance scenes, what appealed to me were dances to the images of the ‘sorbetero’ – a portable ice cream cart with three chambers, encased by dry ice and a vendor scoops from the three available flavors onto an ice cream cone. It made me feel warm inside, recalling ice cream treats given to us by our hard working parents, including a trek to the cinema to watch the latest movies, exposing us to a better imagined future, distancing us from the squalor of poverty just feet away from where we lived, with the constant smell of stench of decaying garbage, coming from improper waste management by government authorities.

When the theme song to “Please Be Careful

With My Heart” was played, I started singing along some of the lyrics of this famous teleserye that we collectively raved about amongst friends and community. I recall falling in line for hours just to get a glimpse of my then favorite stars when they visited Los Angeles on an ABS-CBN sponsored tour.

I came to represent the Asian Journal in Los Angeles’ writer. I recalled the stolen glances of Maya (Jodi Santa Maria) to her Sir Chief (Richard Yap) and Sir Chief admiring Maya’s transformation from nanny to an educated professional.

It was that chemistry we were looking for from the pair of Alexis Piel and Veronica Atienza, “You are my first romance and I am willing to take a chance/ that till life is through/

I’ll still be loving you. I will be true to you/Just a promise from you will do. From the very start/Please be careful with my heart.”

It is a forever love that we swoon over, to never be forgotten and that dance sealed Act I for me and even more so with the beautiful women who danced at the very end. The dancers were Kim Abrogena, Veronica Atienza, Sophie Tiangco, Maika Samson, Regine Magbitang, Gabrielle Jaynario and an all 13-member cast, with five men.

Serye at sayaw resonated beyond

When Act II introduced the songs of Jose Mari Chan — a legendary 55-year presence in the music industry as a singer, composer and lyricist — the music even gained heightened meaning. Amongst friends, these songs by Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera and Piolo Pascual are well liked.

I, too, was having my own 3D experience as Veronica Atienza brilliantly interpreted the song of “Ikaw.”

“Ikaw” was sung by Martin Nievera; the lyrics below were so endearing that it made me remember his spectacular Disney Hall performance months before.

Ikaw ang bigay ng Maykapal (You are a gift from God)

Tugon sa aking dasal (The answer to my fervent prayer)

Upang sa lahat ng panahon (So that for the time that goes by)

Bawat pagkakataon (Every opportunity)

Ang ibigin ko’y ikaw (I get to love you)

Ikaw ang tanglaw sa aking mundo (You are the light in my world)

Kabiyak nitong puso ko (The other half of my yearning heart) Wala ni kahati mang saglit (No one even in a split of time)

Na sa iyo’y may papalit (There will be no one else)

Ngayong kailanman ikaw (Now and forever, but you)

I showed the ballet dance vignette to my 7-year-old former ballerina, a descriptor that my granddaughter wants me to stress, former: ”The man is performing with a woman. It is a love scene and they are dancing with split kicks, leap kicks, circle split and pirouetted. The girl is a better dancer.”

That particular dance scene gained a deeper significance to a good friend, Glenn who was missing Mary Jane, his wife of over 25 years, who wasin the Philippines for a family reunion. By the time the dance was over, Glenn shared that he cried three times.

We all raved with the ballet moves of Regine Magbitang, Jimmy Lumba and Matthew Davo. My granddaughter described it as: “she’s divorcing from two men, pushing them apart. Then, one of them got very angry, he pushed him. We also heard the memorable slap and her red dress. She pushes both of them, does more half splits and bounced really well. One of them married her, and earlier when he got divorced, the song is about losing his wife and now she’s all alone. Until she finds her partner again.”

My granddaughter knows only two Tagalog phrases, salamat (Thank you) and mahal kita (I love you), but the ballet moves allowed her to pick up the story. Her young mind’s observations synchronized in part with the story. It was about Marguerite and her love for dance, forced to do it at age 14 by her mother. Teased by her dance mates to find her soulmate, she then meets a wealthy diplomat, Antonio. Her fame in her dancing career grew as the fame of this diplomat, a fame plus fame

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes courts decision are incidents or history of child abuse and domestic violence. This can be from the part of a parent, a parent’s co-habitant, or other person to whom a parent has a relationship with. The childs amount and nature of contact with the parents is also another factor considered. Fam. Code §3011(c). Other factors that can be considered are the parent’s use of controlled substance, prior criminal convictions and registration as a sex offender, and existence of restraining order against a parent.

ONE of the most emotional aspect of a marital dissolution case is dealing with Child custody issues. Sadly enough, this is an area where most parents play games with each other trying their best to deprive the other parents of their right to maintain relationship with their child. Child custody comes in two parts, 1) physical custody and 2) legal custody. Physical custody may be awarded solely to one parent or jointly. Sole physical custody means that the child will reside primarily and under the supervision of one parent subject to visitation from the other parent upon order of the court. Family Code §3007. Joint physical custody on the other hand means that the child gets to spend frequent and continuing contact with both parents.

Family Code §3004. The court would state specifically the periods of time the child will be under the supervision of each parent.

The family code requires that the parties go to mediation and attempt to agree on the custody issue prior to the court hearing the contested case. Family Code §3170(a). If the case is not settled in mediation, it gets decided in court through a contested hearing. At times, the court will order a child custody evaluation if it determines that it would be in the best interest of the child. The court may also appoint a minor’s counsel if it feels it would be in the best interest of the child.

“If the court is inclined to order sole custody to one parent, the consideration boils down to which parent is more likely to allow the child frequent and continuing contact with the noncustodial parent.”

Legal custody on the other hand deals with the right and responsibility of a parent to make decisions regarding the health, education, and welfare of the child. Family Code §3006. Examples would be decisions such as where the child shall attend school, whether the child can travel to another jurisdiction or state, legal decisions involving the child. In cases where joint legal custody is ordered by the court, either parent alone can make decisions concerning the health, education, and welfare of the child unless otherwise specified in the order.

In making its determination on child custody issues, the court considers various factors depending on the specific facts of the case. The court usually follows the public policy of ensuring and encouraging the child’s frequent and continuing contact with both parents after the divorce unless it would not be in the best interest of the child.

Fam. Code §3011. If the court is inclined to order sole custody to one parent, the consideration boils down to which parent is more likely to allow the child frequent and continuing contact with the noncustodial parent. Family Code §3040(a)(1). A major factor that would tilt the

Family Code §3150(a). The court retains continuous jurisdiction over issues of child custody and support until the child reaches 18. This means the order may be modified all throughout this period if there has been a change in circumstances.

* * * Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation.

* * * Attorney Kenneth Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com Visit us at www.kenreyeslaw.com.

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