ILLUSTRADO Magazine September 2007

The Magazine for the International Filipino

15TH SEPTEMBER-15TH OCTOBER 2007

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EDITOR’S NOTE

one I

We are

t has been a year since we’ve embarked intrepidly on a dream of changing the popular Pinoy perspective and uplifting the image of our community in the region – debunking stereotypes, defying critical expectations, celebrating our collective achievements and kalokohans, and aspiring with those of you who are hopeful - to become bigger, bolder and brighter members of the global fraternity.

Along the way, we faced challenges head on, we had loads of fun and laughter, and we have learned a lot more about ourselves – in the process unearthing even more Pinoy greatness we could be happy and proud about.

On our anniversary, we are reminded about our raison d’etre - Illustrado is all about ‘enlightenment’. It is about acquiring a progressive mindset, regardless of your faith and socio-economic status, to initiate positive changes in the Filipino reality. And certainly, it is about nurturing your Pinoy soul, while mixing with gusto with the rest of our co-expats in this international community.

We are here to bring you uplifting stories, news and views, as well as constructive dialogue - because we know that it’s hard enough to be away from the motherland and the people we love, and that we could all use a much-needed boost from time to time.

LALAINE CHU-BENITEZ Publisher and Editor

The days of laying blame, wallowing in pessimism and getting bogged down by the struggles that beset our country and community are very much over. And certainly, kanya-kanya, crab mentality and discrimination amongst us should be buried as worthless scraps from our complicated past.

There’s still a lot of work to be done. A lot of positive change waiting to be set in motion, negative perspectives to be overturned and apathy aching to be converted into pro-activeness. But from this vantage point – all that is achievable.

Because my dear Illustrados - we’re in this together.

Taas Noo, Filipino!

CONTRIBUTORS

DaviD Poarch A veritable legend on the Filipino blogosphere with thousands following his adventures in the Philippines via the WWW, young FilipinoAmerican David Poarch was raised in the US and has impeccable educational credentials, which include a full Ivy League college scholarship, Mensa international qualifications, top high school graduate honors from the State of Texas, and a two-year NASA Johnson Space Center apprenticeship. Last year, David left behind the ‘American Dream’ to find his roots, and eventually, himself in the Philippines. “I am trying to find what it is I am meant to do in life.

My heart tells me that my purpose lies within the Philippines.”

David Llorito Bringing Illustrado readers good news on the Philippine economy is David Llorito, the Research Chief at the Business Mirror, a Manila-based daily newspaper.

He has more than a decade of experience in socio-economic research, policy analysis and business-economy journalism in the Philippines. Dave is a recipient of the Jaime Ongpin Award for Excellence in Journalism (Explanatory Category) and the Australian Ambassador’s Choice Award 2006, for his story on globalization and the transformation of labor-management relations in the Philippines.

Jeffrey ‘Ximo’ ramos

Shar

Matingka

Just like many Filipinos, up and coming motivational writer Jeffrey ‘Ximo’ Ramos has experienced the many ‘ups and downs’ posed by working in the UAE. After a particularly difficult time in his career in the emirates, that changed his life, Ximo stumbled upon his true purpose – to share his experiences and to provide a boost to Pinoys who are reaching for success. A natural achiever passionate about his cause, Ximo wrote the book ‘Successful Pinoy Ako’ – a ‘success handbook’ and has founded Successful Pinoy Ako Training Solutions, a group dedicated to spread the good news to Filipinos that triumph is reachable and possible by drawing from one’s inner strength.

In her own words, Shar Matingka cheekily says she’s “a contrast between neo-hippie and a goth, minus substance abuse.” An interesting fact about her is that she’s dyscalculic – having a learning disability with numbers. Ironically, she first took up BS Nutrition in UP and later shifted to Accountancy. No wonder, she ended up as an events executive for a UK conferencing company, which has little to do with numbers. Shar returns to Illustrado this month, to talk about her community of Filipino Muslims, just in time for the Holy Month of Ramadan.

FROM OUR READERS

Joan Tuaño Fifteen year-old Joan Tuaño calls herself a proud Filipina. Daughter of prominent Abu Dhabi-based entrepreneurs and community leaders Jovy and Janet Tuaño, this young lady is a dynamic youth leader herself, heading the YFC Gawad Kalinga Abu Dhabi Chapter, playing an active role in the group’s civic projects. In this month’s issue, Joan brings us along to the Gawad Kalinga Great Adventure Tour – and takes us through some valuable lessons learned helping out the needy.

Roll JeRvis Manahan Illustrado fan Roll Jervis Manahan loves to write and dreams of becoming a professional writer some day. A consistent honor student, he is in senior high school at the Far Eastern Private School in Sharjah and is the Associate Editor for his school’s publication. A proud patriot at heart, Roll’s ardent wish is to live out Rizal’s famous line – that “the youth is the hope of our nation.”

Publisher & Editor Lalaine Chu-Benitez Associate Editor Elle Crisostomo Art Directors Paula Lorenzo Ron Perez Contributing Writers Philippines Carlito Viriña David Llorito Bernadette Reyes Lisa Cruz Mike Martin Jan La’O David Poarch Aby Yap Ivan Henares United Arab Emirates Maripaz Febrero Giselle Estrada Dawn Almario Sonny de Guzman Antonella Andrada Shar Matingka Jonie Jose Michael Vincent Serrano United Kingdom, Singapore, Oman Cecile Samson-Aquino Law Diche Cathy Cheng Doña Contributing Photographers Philippines Ben Chan Charles Lu United Arab Emirates Pot Ph Monina Uy Joel Guerrero Kris Lee Contributing Stylist Zekundo Chu Pam Quinones Advertising & Retail Sales Michael Maguigad Subscriptions & Admin Frances Therese Macaya Publisher Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC 2nd Floor, Building 2 P.O. Box 72280 Office 20C Dubai Media City, U.A.E. Tel: + 9714 365 4547 Fax: + 9714 360 4771 email: admin@illustrado.net Website: illustrado.net Printers Delta Printing Press L.L.C. P.O. Box 37140 Dubai, U.A.E. Copyright Illustrado Communications 2007.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of Illustrado Communications FZ-LLC

07 September CONTENTS Features Joined at the Hips 6 Filipino Muslims 8 Philippine Economy Growth 12 Brain Gain Network 14

Columns Famous Filipinos 16 Famous : Mutya Buena 18 Famous : Vanessa Minillo 20

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Kabuhayan: Investing in Phil. Real Estate 40 Kabuhayan: To be ‘Truly’ Rich 42 Successful Pinoy Ako 44 Kabayanihan: Illustrado’s GK Anniversary Project 46 iFX Files 50 Wish You Were Here 51 Coconuter: Discovering Bisay Falls 52 Onli in da Pilipins 68 The Annie B. Chronicles: Dancin’ Diva-Licious 70 Filipinisms 72 Usapang Kanto 73 Face of the Month 75

Fashion Dyosa Rising 22 Designer Profile: Jimmy Buenconsejo 34 Fashion Round-Up 36

PMAP (Professional Model’s Association of the Philippines) member Nicolette Bell plays alluring goddess in Illustrado’s fashion feature – Dyosa Rising.

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Arts, Culture & Design The Phil. Philarmonic Orchestra 53 Malang Celebrates Life 54

People & Places Bakasyon Grande: Baguio 60 Manila Trippin’: Iskul Bukol 64 Manila Trippin’: Nuvo 6 Pinoy About Town: Swinging it Out in the Greens 67

Entertainment Manila’s Hot Releases 76

Illustrado Anniversary Give-Away Win Pearls with Liali Jewellery 35

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letters to: editor@illustrado.net being arrogant, but being proud with humility and grace.

Rin’, and all your other articles that struck my heart into pieces. Kasi di ba totoo?

KUDOS TO YOU ALL!

Now, kung sana masasabi ko lang na may insurance kami – na sana napaghandaan namin ito.

Lourdes Igmidio Dubai

Homesick but happy Dear Editor, I suffer from homesickness…

Fan of ‘ulan’ Dear Editor, You just made me miss my homeland more…

Thank you for your ‘ulan’ inspired articles in your August issue. Natuwa ako just indulging in memories. Masarap isipin ang ulan sa Pinas lalo na kapag sobrang init dito – it’s very refreshing.

Reading your magazine is very relaxing – habang nagtatamad-tamaran ako on a Friday morning. Masarap kasabay ng mainit na kape.

Keep the good stuff flowing.

Eddy Insierto Dubai

Appreciative readers Hi Ms. Lalaine Chu Benitez, On behalf of my Filipino officemates here in Sultan Business Center Oud Metha Bur Dubai, gusto po namin kayong pasalamatan sa suporta na binibigay ninyo sa aming mga OFW. We always have a copy of Illustrado magazine here in the office.

Theresa Aquino Dubai

Supporting achievers Dear Lalaine, I would always be a quiet observer and follower supporting Filipino achievers with great aspirations to uplift the status quo of the Philippine image - like you and your group of Illustrados.

“Taas Noo” is a great theme. It is not about

So to all insurance sales reps. out there, please encourage OFWs to protect their future – para may madukot sila in time of need. Lalo na kung maliit ang sweldo nila.

So buti na lang may Illustrado! I’ve been away from the Philippines for five years and I keep saying I’ll go home soon, but it’s not yet possible.

And to all OFWs, get an insurance policy, kasi kakailanganin ninyo ito. I am telling you this dahil ang hirap ng dinadanas namin ngayon.

Be wise and save for your future.

Anyway, what you and your team are doing is great. It’s a big help to boost people like us who always need something to smile about – na nakataba naman ng puso. You know what I mean?

And to think na hindi pa kami mahilig sa nightlife – pero ang lahat ng pera namin napunta lang sa gastos ng pamilya.

It’s good to know that our other Pinoy kababayans are doing great – very inspiring.

It makes us feel more confident – na kaya natin ito!

Bye and regards to all of you, Cristy Rey (at home in the Philippines)

More power to Illustrado!

Dear Cristy,

Neil de Mesa Abu Dhabi

Life does teach us tough lessons. …

Tough lessons

More than anything else, I hope your son recovers from his illness and that your family is able to rise up from this challenge.

Dear Lalaine,

On another note, thank you for affirming our efforts. We are indeed devoting a good part of Illustrado to equip our kababayans with useful information, to motivate them into a I worked in Dubai for 5 yrs., going back better, more financially sound future. I hope home from time to time to attend to my growing kids. My husband also worked there our endeavors touch more people and provide for 15 long years. Then one day we received them guidance that will be helpful during such news that my son was taken to the hospital so difficult times. we flew home right away.

Our best wishes to your son and your entire family.

My son was diagnosed with multiple myeoloma – a cancer of the blood. He Sincerely, stayed in the hospital for two months Lalaine and is currently receiving chemotherapy.

Hindi kami ready sa pangyayaring ito, nakakabigla, lalo na dahil wala pala Si Annie na naman? kaming insurance.

I just want to share my experience – let this be a lesson to everyone…

My husband worked for a good company but was not provided with insurance – he was only given an allowance. Since a long time back we wanted to avail of a policy but we were always paying for expenses, which made our savings - zero.

We’ve been here in the Philippines now for three months and we don’t know how we will be able to pay for all our expenses. Mabuti na lang my husband has good colleagues who have given us their contributions.

Kaya nga I recalled your article ‘Babalik Ka

Dear Illustrado

Ang saya-saya ni Annie B. Super fans kami ng super girl ng Illustrado. Tuwang tuwa kaming mga friends when we read about her adventures. Nakaka-aliw! Parang nakikita naming ang sarili namin sa kanya – minsan fabulous, minsan baduy, minsan ang galinggaling, minsan naman super-mali - ehehe!

Pero whatever happens to her, super star pa rin!

So enjoy talaga kami. Looking forward to future episodes.

Niña Ceriales Ajman

6 FEATURE Nothing is more nostalgic than smell.

When we pass by a familiar place, find an old photograph, discover a letter or a record from our past, the trigger is not as immediate as when we get a whiff of perfume or any unexpected scent, however fleeting or momentary. And of course, nothing else brings me quite back to those childhood summer days, than the distinctive scent of Baguio.

Joined at the Hips

By Lalaine Chu-Benitez

It’s probably one of the most over-exhausted topics this year in the Filipino expat sphere – that in August, Pinoys, who united against what was deemed as ‘bigoted writing’, hounded a disgraced columnist of People Asia Magazine and Manila Standard Today into resignation. A proverbial People Power episode on the WWW. Something we should not lose any sleep on? Perhaps. But at close examination, the seemingly trivial incident brings to the fore some fundamental issues persistently gnawing at the heart of the ‘Bagong Bayanis’.

It’s still about Flor and Angelo Examine how far the Filipinos have gone as a community in diaspora. From a century ago when the first Pinoy expats landed to work as farmers in the fields of Hawaii, to the first wave of Middle East OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) over two decades ago – when our fathers, relatives, friends, even siblings, invested their lives to work as domestic helpers, engineers, nurses and service employees, to the new breed of kababayans now living out the ‘Dubai dream’.

Filipinos have covered a lot of ground, not only geographically - to become the 3rd largest ethnic expat force in the world after the Chinese and the Indians, but have also managed to climb to a higher professional and social level within adopted countries,

graduating from just mere ‘workers’ – in effect and sacrifice in self-chosen exile, due to a hopeless state of affairs in the Philippines. making the term OFW virtually obsolete.

Now, it is with a real sense of pride that Filipinos can afford to say that they have contributed to the growth and progress of the region from within different sectors – construction, oil and industry, medical and educational, tourism, media and advertising, trade and commerce, among so many others.

And indeed, after a hundred years in diaspora – the Filipino seems so much better equipped to be the master of his own destiny outside the motherland.

And yet, the collective face of the country’s ‘bagong bayanis’ remains that of Flor Contemplacion and Angelo dela Cruz - who have come to symbolize the pitiful plight of a community driven to vulnerability

Stereotypes and soft egos The ‘Malu discrimination incident’ brings to mind the gnawing fact that a very narrow perspective on OFWs exists and is top-ofmind in certain areas of our community.

Unsurprising perhaps, as it has been perpetuated by Philippine local media, touted as the “freest, most rambunctious in Southeast Asia”, with a penchant for attentiongrabbing stories which usually focus on news such as jailed Pinoys, crime victims, thieves, killers, and absconders, among others.

Add to this the unfortunate fact that, more often than not, international media takes its cues from local press resulting into an

FEATURE 7

outward global rippling of homegrown bad news. That, together with chronic stories on Philippine poverty, crime, corruption, sex and sleaze, make up what is, perhaps, one of the most misunderstood and underrated nations in the world and a people disadvantaged by stereotyping and a lack of confidence.

Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s speech in the 52nd anniversary of the NPC (National Press Club) might have been made three years ago, but the message resonates with utmost relevance at this time. With the backdrop of positive economic and political reforms, GMA encouraged the media to consider the ‘brighter side’ saying – “To peddle pessimism in the guise of truth results in a weakened national soul, and a people floundering in self-doubt.” She added, “I know that in a nation like ours that is riddled with pockets of extreme deprivation, projecting the brighter side is difficult and some would even say, a bad business decision. But there is a market for good news - and it is growing.”

Classic ‘kanya-kanya’ Stereotypes aside, are OFWs themselves, perhaps, guilty of their own brand of bias?

One wonders, in the maliciousness of this kababayan discrimination episode, whether some Filipino expats have actually seen a mirror to themselves. Is there a ‘Malu’ in all of us?

It is a classic struggle between the classes, as old as time itself and prevalent in any part of the world, or any community. What with the presence of Filipinos from all walks of life and how the community has quickly evolved from the service workers of the notso-distant past, to the new more aggressive, well-educated and moneyed Pinoys of the current cosmopolitan Gulf milieu – it is not unusual to find Filipinos who feel they have nothing familiar, and are therefore detached with the rest of the OFW community deemed as ‘common tao’.

The tragedy in all this, is that Filipinos do not realize that we are all unavoidably joined at the hips – just like conjoined twins; one suffering the other’s malady.

So to look down on another kababayan is just like shooting yourself on the foot.

Whether you like it or not, we are all assigned by the world to the same boat – because in reality, in everybody’s eyes, a Filipino will always be a ‘Filipino’.

Painful lessons learned In August, reality has reared its ugly head to the Filipino community confirming the things we normally would not dare dish out in the open – that we are negatively perceived and that acrid discrimination exists, not only from the outside, but from within our very own community. It is a bitter pill to swallow, and it had to take a writer’s vicious prejudice, the

publications’ irresponsibility and thousands of Pinoys bombarding the web, for us to realize some painful lessons that are not only timely, but should be taken with a sense of urgency.

The ray of sunlight after this storm has proved that Pinoys can unite – and that a lot of us have realized that we inevitably belong together. The fact that so many displayed an eagerness to be heard is also flare of hope that stands in the way of what once seemed like systemic apathy. And for those who regard their kababayans with insensitivity, perhaps the fate of the shamed writer and this episode, will serve as a cautionary tale making people think twice before they pass summary judgment on their own.

And for all the Filipinos’ differing dogmas, personal politics and trivial disagreements, most would probably agree that this affair signals that time has come for a change time to change our collective future, and this can only happen by looking inside ourselves.

National artist for literature F. Sionil Jose, in his essay ‘Why are Filipino so Poor’ has put the Filipino predicament so eloquently – “We have a real and insidious enemy that we must vanquish, and this enemy is worse than the intransigence of any foreign power. We are our own enemy. And we must have the courage, the will, to change ourselves.”

8 FEATURE By Shar Matinka

Filipino Muslims

In Christian-dominated Philippines, where over 85% of the population is Roman Catholic, Islam is oftentimes associated negatively with terrorism mainly due to the intense media coverage in war-torn areas, not to mention the stereotypical perception on its believers. What is largely missed, however, is the historical and cultural significance of this community, as well as their unique sense of humanity.

The holy month of Ramadan provides the perfect opportunity to improve understanding and widen the perspective on our Filipino Muslim brothers.

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oday, Muslims make about 5% of the Philippine population.

Mindanao is where we find concentrated areas of Muslim inhabitants.

On the contrary, present day statistics cannot topple the historical value of how Muslims governed main areas of the archipelago; stretching from Mindanao to Manila even before the Philippines was named after King Philip II of Spain. It is safe to say that we owe Muslims part of our national pride and strong heritage during the infant stages of our rise to civilization. Do most Filipinos know that Lapu-lapu was a Muslim chieftain?

This interesting fact is not mentioned in history books widely used in schools, nor is it ever a trivia question in noontime shows.

Filipino Muslims are more than just a

misunderstood minority. Certainly more important than the way they dress, eat or pray is the fact that theirs is a uniquely diverse community that follows an entirely different way of living under the commands of Islam. The adopted western culture in the Philippines often poses challenges for Muslims in terms on maintaining religious practice. Furthermore, due to lack of understanding, it is a common mistake to generalize the Muslim crowd as a backward society because of how they have been portrayed in the media. In reality, however, most of the members of this Philippine group excel in highly soughtafter professional qualifications mainly in the fields of medicine, engineering, public administration and law.

During this season of Ramadan, this article provides an opportunity to showcase

brotherhood and important virtues constantly observed by the Muslim community. A deeper sense of humanity is felt throughout the holy month; the act of fasting is just the tip of the iceberg. The human tolerance to withstand hunger pangs and thirst during Ramadan does not measure or even define a Muslim’s spiritual journey during the holy season. It is a believer’s willingness to completely submit to God that is tested during the Holy month, through the faithful observance of the teachings of Islam.

Bad thoughts against another human being borne by greed, anger, lust, gossip and envy should be repelled. Instead, Muslims are recommended to read the Quran throughout the Holy month and observe the importance of congregational prayer.

FEATURE 9

Sexual intercourse is prohibited during the hours of fasting but permissible after the fast. Watching television is also allowed.

However, obscenities, violence and sexually suggestive themes should be avoided. It is only common sense to note that when a person is in state of penitence and spiritual obligations, modesty must be observed at all times.

During Ramadan, families become closer and the daily Iftar (breaking of the fast) is almost like a celebration in its own. The familial bond Muslims families enjoy during Iftar is similar to that of Noche Buena for Christians, but for the entire month, every single day. And of course, there are the grand celebrations of Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, which to non-Muslims, is just like Christmas.

Brotherhood among Muslims is indescribable. No words can express the camaraderie and unity contrary to popular beliefs. One can expect a unique kind of generosity between Muslims because they are basically taught to love and respect brothers and sisters in faith. When one is in need or falls destitute, it is not surprising in Filipino Muslim communities to have more than one clan reaching out. This is the equivalent of bayanihan, only with a different term in Islam – Zakat (charity).

One of the Muslim community leaders in the country, Andy Mounib Saripada, exemplifies true charity and generosity. He heads the 500-strong Filipino Muslim Community organization throughout the UAE and has been assisting, for the last 18 years, Filipinos, both Muslims and Christians, who are in need or who have run into problems. “Naaawa ako sa mga tao, lalo na kapag hindi nila alam ang gagawin. Kaya tinutulungan namin sila.” (“I feel sorry for the people, especially if they don’t know what to do. That’s why we help them.”) He remarks, referring to those whom they have helped with legal and immigration issues. Mounib has been especially active in helping Filipinos during this amnesty period and also represents his community in the other Filipino organizations. By joining other clubs, he says that he is able to spread awareness and understanding on Muslim Filipinos.

For Dr. Amilbahar Matingka, who recently settled in his hometown after 25 years in Saudi Arabia, Muslims shouldn’t be treated as merely second-class citizens. “Those [Muslims] who ended up in unfortunate paths are merely driven by their deprivation of their right to their land. What people see on TV are just fragments of facts and not the entire picture of what is really going on here.”

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Although political history is part-reason of the tense relationship between Muslims and Christians in the Philippines, it is not a fence that builds total hindrance. While the advancing generations partake in the wide-range of opportunities of globalization, perhaps it is about time we made our social boundaries out of respect and not from stereotypical point of view and hearsays.

It is not difficult to understand Muslim culture and to be able to recognize the community’s positive achievements and contributions to improve our country. So next time, instead of asking the Muslim sitting next to you about the prohibition of pork in Islam, the Abu Sayyaf or morality, which has different interpretations in every religion, ask what they value most in life.

In the forthcoming holy month of Ramadan, non-Muslims might want to keep in mind the comforting fact that Muslims do not measure their faith by withstanding hunger and thirst, but rather, they fast in remembrance of Allah and forgiveness.

And like any other God-fearing soul, there is a unique sense of humanity in a Muslim that believers of other faiths might surprisingly take inspiration from… if given the chance.

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Philippine Economy grows 7.5% in Q2 2007

Highest in 20 years

The Philippine economy as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.5 percent in the second quarter this year, the highest in 20 years, buoyed by the continuing strength of services sector and the strong rebound in industry, particularly construction and mining, and dollar remittances from expatriate Filipinos. By Dave Llorito

T

he GDP measures the value of goods and services produced, traded and paid for within the local economy. Included in the computations are the goods and services produced both by Filipinos and foreigners doing business in the Philippines.

According to the latest report by the NSCB (National Statistical Coordination Board), the services sector surged to an 8.4 percent growth rate in the second quarter from 5.7 in the same quarter last year. Strong performers in the services sector include finance which include the banks; transportation, storage and communications; private service which include business process outsourcing or BPOs (such as call centers, software development, engineering design, medical transcription, animation, and back office processing); trade, owing to the resilient export sector; and real estate.

Mining grew by 33.3 percent and construction (fuelled by the strong demand for office spaces by BPOs and condominium units by expatriate Filipinos) by 21 percent, pushing up the entire industry sector to an 8 percent growth rate. The industry grew only by 4.4 percent in the same period last year.

“Continued favorable economic conditions such as stable interest rates and strong peso, resilient agriculture, vibrant industry and service sectors, plus election-related spending and intensified infrastructure investments strengthened [the economy],” said Estrella V. Domingo, officer-in-charge of NSCB. Domingo also explained that sustained increase in household spending, rise in

merchandize exports and investments in construction served as major engines of growth.

“Continued inflow of remittances from overseas workers resulted in the hefty 16.6 percent expansion in the net factor income from abroad and pushed the gross national product (GNP) to an 8.3 percent growth, a substantial improvement over the 6.4 percent growth in the same quarter last year.”

the performance of agriculture in the second half.”

Following the release of the latest figures on the performance of the Philippine economy, critics of the government expressed surprise, pointing out that current growth levels are not creating jobs and therefore “not sustainable.”

The latest result of the April labor force survey, however, shows that unemployment declined to 7.4 percent in April, down from 8.2 percent a year before, thus indicating that the Philippines has started to generate more jobs.

In layman’s terms, the GNP measures the value of goods and services produced and traded within the Philippine economy, plus the contributions of the expatriate Filipinos working abroad, and minus the profits sent The Philippine economy itself appears to abroad by foreigners and foreign companies. have been on a growth momentum, growing 7.1 percent in the first quarter this year, after That the growth rate of GNP is higher than moving within a 5-6 percent growth band in the GDP figure indicates — analysts say — the significant contribution of expatriate the last three years.

Filipinos to the growth of the Philippine economy. Each year, expatriate Filipinos working in the US, Middle East, Europe and other parts of the world send home more than US$12 billion, thus propping up the local economy.

According to Santos, the recent performance of the economy shows that the country’s macroeconomic reforms have been effective so far but there is a need to “raise the bar” to ensure that economic gains are going to benefit more people.

Socio economic planning secretary Augusto B. Santos said that the upturn is a telling sign “The government must push for policies to that the Philippines may achieve its official sustain macroeconomic stability, modernize 6.1-6.7-growth target this year despite some agriculture and effectively transform it into “uncertainties” in the domestic front as well agribusiness, strengthen small enterprises, as the global economy. expand labor markets, and realign the

national budget to spend more on social “On the external front, the continued services, particularly education and health,” weakness of the US economy and volatile said Santos. oil prices continue to pose downside risks,” said Santos, who currently serves as the Santos also stressed the need to improve acting director general of the NEDA (National improving the investment climate in the Economic and Development). “Nonetheless, Philippines. “This involves upgrading the steady expansion in Europe and infrastructure, cutting loose policies that Japan [and] the fairly strong performance distort market competition, sustaining fiscal of other Asian economies, are positive reforms, and achieving political stability,” he developments. On the domestic front, the said. effects of the prolonged dry-spell may drag

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14 FEATURE

BRAIN GAIN NETWORK

By Dave Llorito

When asked why he decided to return home despite having a very profitable career in Silicon Valley, Paco Sandejas, hotshot electronics engineer and venture capitalist, answered: “Stupidity, maybe.”

(Laughs). He was joking of course. The real reason, he said, is that he wanted to make a difference in his home country.

And a huge difference he is making. Since arriving in the country in 1997, he helped set up R&D Laboratories at the PEZA (Philippine Export Zone Authority), helped establish ARCDI (Advanced Research and Competency Development Institute) that trains engineers to be competent in skills needed by electronics and semiconductor industry, and worked with professors from Ateneo, UP, LaSalle, and other schools. “When you attend graduation ceremonies, you know you really have affected the lives of these kids. In the United States, you are going to touch the lives of only a few people.”

While completing his doctorate degree in Stanford University, Sandejas set up the Brain Gain Network together with fellow engineer Mark Loinaz to connect talented professionals and students worldwide who are interested in helping the Philippines achieve competitiveness in high technology industries. Loinaz is credited for developing the world’s first single-chip camera.

Aware of the brain drain phenomenon gripping the country, Sandejas built an extensive database of highly-skilled Filipino professionals to facilitate collaboration among them, promote technology transfers to the Philippines as well as promote a university consortia to advance engineering education in the country. Brain Gain Network now has 1,400 techie and business types. I call them ‘technopreneurs’, said Sandejas.

Brain Gain Network, according to Emerson Tan who teaches computer engineering at the University of the Philippines, provides venues by which UP professors are able to interact with leaders in the electronics

and semi-conductor business, thus keeping them abreast with the latest trends and developments in the industry.

Sandejas also currently heads Narra VC (Venture Capital) based in Alabang, one of pioneering venture capital companies in the Philippine providing funds for technopreneurs who have smart business ideas. One of Narra’s pet projects is Stratpoint Technologies developing software for mobile applications for companies in the Philippines and the United States .

“It’s this sense of fulfillment that you are really making a big difference in the lives of more people,” answered Sandejas, when asked for the reason why he went back home in 1997. Narra Ventures, he explains, now has 12 firms under its portfolio, including Stratpoint Technologies, a software engineering company. “We are still looking for more start up companies [to finance].”

of high technology industries in Silicon Valley. It’s all about forming a network, he explained, where people plug in, get the trust and confidence of each other and then collaborate on projects, mostly hightech. “The Chinese, Indians, Taiwanese, and Iranians - that’s how they do it; just like a mafia.”

Marguerite Gong Hancock, associate director of Stanford Project on Regions of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Stanford University, said that in Silicon Valley, this ‘ecosystem’ comprises several elements including the presence of excellent universities like Stanford, entrepreneurial students and faculties, smart engineers from developing countries (China, India, Taiwan, and the Philippines), high technology companies, venture capitalists, hot shot lawyers, and managers with gung ho attitude towards producing ‘the next big thing’.

He could have been richer, he said, but directly he feels he would have a limited impact. “By and large, most of us who come to the US are work rats. We do rise to executive levels. But how many lives are you going to transform? Two, three people?”

Many of these immigrant skilled professionals in Silicon Valley eventually returned to their home countries to set up tech-related businesses. Others formed links and bridges with companies back home to facilitate the outsourcing of certain stages of the value chain. AnnaLee Saxenian, professor of urban planning and dean of the University of California School of Information, calls this phenomenon ‘brain circulation’, a pattern that helped the rise of Taiwan, Israel, India and China as global players in high technology industries like electronics, semiconductors, and information technology.

Trained in Stanford University, the hotbed of start-ups, Sandejas hopes to kick off a similar ‘ecosystem’ that supported the rise

Sandejas admits that bringing skilled professionals back home is a tough sell because of economic considerations.

He explains that if he had stayed in the US he could have made a difference for himself and his family. Prior to coming home, he worked as product management and marketing for Applied Materials (formerly Applied Komatsu) in Silicon Valley, a firm producing flat panels.

FEATURE 15

“Because if you are already earning US$100,000 a year or more in the US, and if you have a decent educational background, and you don’t screw up in your job, you are really doing well in the US.” Luckily there are some smart people who have left and do come back, he said. And many of them are attracted by recent positive trends, like improvements in the business environment, and good performance of the stock market.

“But by and large, it’s tough [for those who want to return] for there are only few Philippine companies going to the US to recruit because it’s expensive [to hire highly paid technical experts],” said Sandejas.

“Luckily there are some businesses doing that like Ayala’s Integrated Microelectronics, some exporters, and some call centers.”

“That’s why I started Brain Gain Network to find other people like Mark Loinaz and others,” he said. “I can’t wait for the big Philippine-based companies to invite me to come home. I have to network with my friends and their own network, find other people so we could initiate a start up company in the Philippines.”

And his efforts seem to be paying off.

In 2002, Paco Sandejas partnered with

Silicon Valley-based Diosdado Banatao, who is known to have developed the first chip sets for personal computers, head of Tallwood Venture Capital (in Silicon Valley) to form Narra VC in the Philippines. Narra was envisioned to invest in companies developing semiconductors and semiconductor-related products, converged communication systems, computing platforms, and software and related services.

“I always believe in engineering in the Philippines but maybe we don’t have enough product marketing guys to tell us we should make cellular phones here,” Sandejas explained. He felt it would be so hard to compete with Nokia or Ericsson. So instead of doing engineering, he thought the best strategy would be to set up with smart developers here in the Philippines to develop software for mobile phones and PDAs. “I sell their service to my friends who are leaders in the software industry in the US,” he said. “I tell the heads of these companies, ‘you know me, I’m not dumb myself. Trust me I’ll get equally smart people to do the

work for you. But I cannot do a disservice to our friends in the states, or even if they are Americans, I cannot give the quality less than what they have in the US. So I have them lower cost and give them the same quality.”

“That’s what we do at Stratpoint, that’s what Art Tan [another Filipino engineer brought home by the Ayalas from the US] at IMI do in electronic manufacturing,” Sandejas added.

“Easix Technologies out there are doing designs in electronic modules. In the future there would be other guys coming up with unique high technology products.”

With Banatao - himself a multimillionaire, successful serial entrepreneur and engineer in Silicon Valley - advising Narra, other local business bigwigs like the Ayalas, the Lopezes through the First Philippine Holdings, and the Lhullier Group joined the group as investors.

“Narra could invest from US$1 million to $2.5 million dollars in any company,” said Sandejas. “Today we have 12 companies in our portfolio and we are still looking for more companies. For as long as we keep on working harder, keep doing better, and do nothing wrong, we will keep on growing.”

16 FAMOUS FILIPINOS

By

Maripaz Febrero

We have a whole constellation of Pinoy showbiz stars sparkling all over the world. Just as brilliant are our kabayans who are blessed with massive talent in the fields of medicine and science.

And so far, we have barely skimmed the surface. To celebrate their achievements in the international scene, let’s all say “Mabuhay” to our famous Pinoy brainiacs!

Dr. Jose Antonio Socrates

Dr. Baldomero M. Olivera Pinoy molecular biologist is Harvard Foundation’s Scientist of the Year 2007 In March 2007, Dr. Baldomero M. Olivera was given the distinction ‘Scientist of the Year’ by the Harvard Foundation. Olivera was honored for his groundbreaking research on neurotoxins produced by venomous cone snails found in Philippine waters.

His work has led to the development of a drug, now in clinical trials, that appears to be more effective against chronic pain than morphine, and may also shed light on conditions such as schizophrenia and epilepsy.

“Dr. Olivera is widely respected as a biological scientist for his excellent work in neurotoxicology and his dedication to students in the field,” said Dr. S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation and associate professor of neurology and neurophysiology.

Olivera is a Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of Utah, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, summa cum laude, from the University of the Philippines and a doctorate in biochemistry from the California Institute of Technology. He did postdoctoral work at Stanford University with Dr. I. Robert Lehman.

Last year, he was appointed a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor and has published over 250 scientific papers on the biological sciences.

WHO Sasakawa Health Prize Awardee for 2007 The 59-year-old orthopedic surgeon, who is a native of Palawan, received from the World Health Organization (WHO) the Sasakawa Health Prize for 2007 Award for his outstanding innovative work in health development.

The awards ceremony was held last May 17 at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, during which Dr. Jose Antonio Socrates also received the amount of $30,000.

Socrates was hailed for offering a solution to the problem on nonavailability of medical treatment for townsfolk in far-flung areas who sustain bone injuries. Through the Bahatala (Bahay Hawak Tayo Lakad), Inc. and the British Palawan Trust, a charity non-government organization funded by the UK, Socrates has continuously trained health workers, particularly midwives and barangay health workers, for free, on the practical ways to handle injuries in remote villages.

The program is called Ortopediks sa Tahanan at Barangay (OTB).

Despite his rich and varied experiences in the practice of orthopedic surgery in England, US and Saudi Arabia, among other countries, Dr. Socrates, a Fellow of British Orthopedic Surgeon and Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, has chosen to practice medicine in the Philippines to serve the poor people in his home province.

Pinoy Planet “Kintanar”

Named after physicist Dr. Roman Kintanar In a ceremony on April 12, 2007 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an asteroid circling the sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and measuring four to nine kilometers in diameter was named minor planet No. 6636 as ‘Kintanar’ in honor of Dr. Roman Kintanar by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

“This is such a big honor for me,” says Dr. Kintanar, a physicist by training and former Director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) for nearly 36 years before retiring in 1994.

He received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas in 1958. “I feel that my efforts in the past are well compensated by this unique accolade.”

It really feels good to know our kabayans are putting their brains to good use out there, helping to make the world a better place to live in. We should all be proud of their stellar achievements, now surer than ever that Pinoys have what it takes to set trends, not only in the arts, but also in the sciences.

18 FAMOUS FILIPINOS

By

Maripaz Febrero

MUTYA

BUENA

Sweet Sugababe Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena was born on May 21, 1985 in Kingsbury, North West London, to become known professionally as Mutya Buena, English singer and songwriter, who rose to fame as a member of the pop group Sugababes.

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he Buena family still lives in Kingsbury, where Mutya was raised by her Irish mother and Filipino father, and attended Kingsbury High School. Her name Mutya means ‘muse’ or ‘beautiful gem’ in Tagalog. She has five brothers - Bayani, Charlie, Chris, Danny and Roberto - and two younger sisters - Ligaya and Dalisay. Another sister, Maya, died in 2002, and the song Maya on Sugababe’s album Three was dedicated to her.

Mutya Buena discovered her passion for music as a teenager. Mutya’s natural talent for singing led to a career she started along with her friends Siobhan Donaghy and Keisha Buchanan at the tender age of 13. They

became known as the band called Sugababes.

A year later, the trio was offered a contract by London Records and the band subsequently began working on their debut album. One Touch, released in December of 2000, didn’t sell quite as well as they had hoped, but received rave reviews for several hit singles Overload, Soul Sound and Run for Cover. More albums followed, including Angels with Dirty Faces in 2002 and Taller in More Ways in 2005.

On March 23, 2005, Mutya gave birth to 5lb 10oz Tahlia-Maya Buena, her first child with boyfriend Jay. This joyful event was, however, rumoured to be one of the main reasons why she left the Sugababes. She named her child Tahlia-Maya in memory of her sister, Maya.

FAMOUS FILIPINOS 19

“Its scary…coming out from such a successful group, not knowing what’s gonna happen to you,” Mutya said of her departure from Sugababes. She was, after all, leaving more than a Triple Platinum pop group with an international fan base and an impressive cache of awards. She was leaving a life she had known since she was 13 years old.

“I wanted a change,” she states, matter-offactly, “And I had my daughter Tahlia, and found it pretty unfair to give birth to a baby that I was not gonna be able to look after.

People told me I could have a nanny. But I didn’t want anyone else bringing up my child. It’s hard explaining all this to someone who doesn’t have kids…at the time people got annoyed with me. I made the choice to leave and I believe it was the right choice.”

And it was!

In December 2005, Mutya confidently went solo, collaborating with numerous stellar artists including Tah Mac, MC Viper, George Michael and Groove Armada.

This Is Not Real Love a sultry ballad with

alternating verses between George Michael and Mutya, was released in November 2006, and reached number 15 in the UK charts. It also appeared on George Michael’s Greatest Hits album, Twenty Five. In 2006, she toured with Michael on the London and Manchester leg of his 25 Live tour to perform the song live with him. The song is also being released as a track on Mutya’s solo album. Most recently she featured on a track on Groove Armada’s album Soundboy Rock. Out Of Control (Song 4 Mutya) was highly praised and was released as a single by Groove Armada. Mutya later featured on Tah Mac’s album track Give Back, and this track could very well become another hit single.

critics and fans alike. The Album remained in the top 40 for three weeks and was released two weeks before ex-band mate Siobhan Donaghy’s second album Ghosts. When asked if Mutya would like the two of them to record together again, she said, “We still speak. We’re good friends. I love her stuff – it’s different to mine – but I think she’s great.

I hope we’ll be meeting up soon. I wouldn’t say no to recording with her again.”

Mutya’s first single, the album’s title track Real Girl entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 11 on downloads alone, climbing to No.2 after its physical release date. The song samples Lenny Kravitz’s It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over and is produced by London based production company, Full Phatt.

Real Girl, the album, entered the UK album chart at No.10 amid mixed reviews from

Mutya is indeed moving on, fuelled by her philosophy, “to take every day as it comes, live your life and not to compare yourself with other people.” It’s a beautiful philosophy from yet another phenomenal Pinay who, at 22 years old, still has tons of celebrity experience to look forward to.

Mutya recently performed at V Festival on August 18 and 19 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Western Park, Staffordshire.

She was also added to the line-up for T4 On The Beach 2007 last July 22.

20 FAMOUS FILIPINOS

By

Maripaz Febrero

Vanessa

MINNILLO Beauty, brains, long legs and a dazzling personality make Vanessa Minnillo one of the most famous faces on American TV. Still, you look at her and somehow can’t help but feel the innate kayumanggi allure emanating from her sparkling eyes. You would be right! She is Pinay, on her mother’s side.

American TV’s Sweetheart

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His New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, and co-host of MTV’s Total Request Live is a Fil-Am beauty born on November 9, 1980, at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. Her father, Vince Minnillo, was a USAF aircrew member stationed at the base. Her mother, Helen Berecero, was a Filipina Vince had met and married while stationed in the country.

As a child, her family moved to wherever her father’s work in the United States Air Force took them. Vanessa’s family spent time in California, Nevada, Florida, Germany

and Japan before eventually settling in Charleston, South Carolina. Her parents are divorced and she has a stepmother, Donna Minnillo, and an older adopted brother, Vincent. Vanessa is fluent in English and has a passive knowledge of two Filipino dialects, namely Kapampangan and Tagalog.

USA 1998, and went on to win the 1998 Miss Teen USA Pageant. She was the first delegate from South Carolina to capture the title and received the Congeniality Award in 1998. In the competition she received the highest score in the interview, swimsuit, and evening gown categories. What a coup!

In 1997, Vanessa was encouraged to enter a beauty pageant by her then boyfriend’s father and that October, she was crowned Miss Teen South Carolina. The victory qualified her to compete in the national Miss Teen USA pageant. In August 1998, she swept all categories at the event, held in Shreveport, Louisiana. After her remarkable experience, she said, “I didn’t know what I was doing. I was there to have fun.”

Vanessa became Miss South Carolina Teen

Unfortunately, the live coverage of her triumphant moment was pre-empted by the infamous televised address by then President Clinton about the Lewinsky scandal.

After winning the beauty title, Vanessa returned to high school, where she enjoyed being both an honor student and head cheerleader. She spent her weekends, however, travelling the country as Miss

FAMOUS FILIPINOS 21

Teen USA and a national spokeswoman for ‘The Partnership Against Drugs.’

In addition to hosting several MTV specials, such as MTV Goes Gold: New Years Eve 2007 and MTV’s Prom Date, Vanessa also hosted The Greatest Commercials: Super Bowl vs. the World on CBS. In addition, Vanessa has interviewed some very impressive high profile celebrities, such as Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Madonna and Good Charlotte. In the past, she’s been nominated for a Teen Choice Award for her appearances on Total Request with Carson Daly and Entertainment Tonight. Vanessa is also a guest creator for the cosmetics brand FLIRT, which launched at Kohl’s in August 2007. She was also the Spring/Summer 2007 face of Bongo Apparel.

Recently, Vanessa made another conquest - the big screen. She was featured in this June’s 20th Century Fox release – Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. She played

Chris Evan’s love interest, and starred opposite Jessica Alba, Julian McMahon, Ioan Gruffudd and Kerry Washington.

Her love life involved an on-and-off relationship with Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter from November 2003 to early 2006.

She is currently dating singer Nick Lachey and was featured in the music video for his song “What’s Left of Me”, which was nominated for Best Male Video at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.

in love. When he married Jessica, Nick had a big splashy Texas wedding with all the trimmings. It kicked off their highly rated MTV reality series ‘Newlyweds’ and began their life in a fishbowl. This time he wants something a lot simpler, so they’ve decided they want a low-key affair.”

Vanessa and Nick, who share the same birthday (November 9), are reportedly planning to marry soon. The former ‘Newlyweds’ star has already proposed to the MTV presenter.

Nick, 33, announced his split from Jessica in late 2005 and began dating 26-year-old Vanessa in the summer of 2006. The source added: “Nick’s known for a long time that Vanessa is the one. At first she held out. But in time she began to realise Nick was the key to her happiness and couldn’t imagine life without him. And now the two of them are ready to begin making a new life together.”

A source told the National Enquirer magazine: “They’re moving forward with plans for a wedding. Since they both love Baja in Mexico it will probably happen south of the border, where they first fell

Not your typical dalagang Pilipina, yet she displays all the great qualities of her hardworking generation – devotion to her job and dedication to her man – whichever comes first!

22 FASHION

DYOSA RISING

Ethereal beauty from the fluid femininity of silks and chiffon, the sensuous drape of lamé, and alluring embellishment with delicate precious pieces. Nothing pays quite an homage to the dramatic female form, than exquisite fashion fit for a goddess on the rise.

Text by Lalaine Chu-Benitez Photography by Illuminado Ong Couture by Jimmy Buenconsejo Jewelry from Serene of Liali Jewellery Styling by Zekundo Chu Hair and Make-Up by Basil Yunting Model Coordinator – Andre Penano Model : Nicolette Bell

FASHION 23

22 FASHION

DYOSA

Creamy white pleated goddess dress with gold and silver accents.

RISING

Ethereal beauty from the fluid femininity of silks and chiffon, the sensuous drape of lamé, and alluring embellishment with delicate precious pieces. Nothing pays quite an homage to the dramatic female form, than exquisite fashion fit for a goddess on the rise.

Text by Lalaine Chu-Benitez Photography by Illuminado Ong Couture by Jimmy Buenconsejo Jewelry from Serene of Liali Jewellery Styling by Zekundo Chu Hair and Make-Up by Basil Yunting Model Coordinator – Andre Penano Model : Nicolette Bell

24 FASHION

1.6-carat diamond necklace set in 18k white gold

FASHION 25

Butter yellow Grecian inspired dress with spaghetti straps and empire waistline, accentuated by gold trimmings and black velvet ribbon.

26 FASHION

Diamond ring and earrings set in 18K white gold

FASHION 27

Fuschia Romanesque empire cut dress with cabbage roses and bead accents.

Purple satin tube dress with rose appliqué by Wanderlust

28 FASHION

Cuff bracelet with 55 carats of triangular cut citrine and 1.3 carats of diamonds set in 18K gold

FASHION 29

Wrap dress in metallic bronze jersey, cinched at the waist with gold metal brooch.

30 FASHION

16-carat citrine cocktail ring with 1.5 carats of pave diamonds set in 18k gold

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Velvet and silk dress with hand painted tiger design, embellished with crystals and semi-precious stones, set on a faux fur trim.

32 FASHION

Shop guide: Couture by Jimmy Buenconsejo for La Donna – Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai Jewelry from ‘Serene’ of Liali Jewellery – Dubai Waterfront Mall (Dubai Festival City)

Leopard and zebra print dress with plunging V-neckline, accentuated by a mesh crystal belt.

FASHION 33

34 DESIGNER PROFILE

JIMMY BUENCONSEJO Illustrado’s featured designer this month, believes in blending east and west, old and new, trends and tradition, to create fashion that’s not just about the look, but a true visual feast of femininity and elegance. For Jimmy Buenconsejo, a firm believer of creative freedom, designers should not be afraid to risk everything to create a vision that is passionate, colorful and exciting.

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n-house fashion designer of La Donna, an esteemed atelier made famous by its active participation in the various fairs and bridal shows in Dubai and the other emirates, Jimmy Buenconsejo embraces the idea of design fusion through and through. “I basically look out for the trends from Paris and combine them with traditional Arabic and contemporary,” enthuses the designer. And the result of this stylish mesh of east and west, are creations, which are elegantly opulent and truly feminine.

For this collection, the Designer has used lamé in silver, copper and gold material. He has also blended leopard prints and motifs into flowing pure chiffon creating a feel of sumptuousness with diva-esque transparencies. Citrus greens, deep fuchsia, royal blue and butter yellows are the front liner colors. While accents are in the form of multicolored antique stones resourcefully scouted from Arabic souqs, combined with sparkling Swarovsky crystals giving rise to a modern fusion design sensibility.

“Focusing on lesser elements from my previous works is my goal this year - throwing away volumes and heavy embellishments to reveal a stronger sleek silhouette, with emphasis on sexiness with attitude,” Jimmy expounds on his designs which pay particular attention to shape, style and texture.

He continues to explain, “I don’t have any strong design influences in particular. But I do believe in creative freedom and enjoy exploring all elements, like color, line and form without inhibitions.”

An exceptional designer, who ensures that his creations feel good both inside and out, Jimmy enjoys the trust of a discerning clientele who value his meticulous eye for quality. “My greatest recognition is the satisfaction of my clients. I attend to my clients equally and give them all utmost dedication and service.”

Although very much accomplished in his field, Jimmy Buencosejo still displays admirable passion for his work, as though embarking on his career path for the first time. “I became a fashion designer by choice. I believe it is my self-expression. The excitement to create pieces is my gift to all the women who love the nuances of fashion. I can’t imagine doing any other job or profession in the world. I am proud to be a fashion designer.”

And as yet another great creative Filipino, the designer believes that our innate resilience and artistic ability are valuable assets in his field.

He says, “In our blood is the mix of cultures that has made us the most sought after designers in the Gulf.”

ILLUSTRADO’S ANNIVERSARY GIVE-AWAY 35

Win 10 Kimono Pearl Necklaces From Liali Jewellery

About Liali Jewellery Dubai-based Liali Jewellery LLC was established in June 1999 by Raed Ahmad Baker and Anuraag Sinha under the Dutco Group of Companies. Associated with fine precious pieces, as well as their signature personalized services, Liali retails premium brands including Vivien Westwood, Green G, Miluna, Tirisi, and Memories. They also offers personalized jewelry, custom gold, diamonds and pearls as well as extraordinary designer timepieces. The company specializes in 18k gold jewelry, precious and semi-precious stones, certified diamonds, silver jewelry and customized handcrafted pieces.

Liali Jewellery takes pride in bringing innovative concepts in jewelry to the residents of Dubai and consistently endeavors to keep up with the latest trends. For its valued customers, Liali has a reward programme, which entitles clients to special offers and privileges.

The jewelry retailer has 15 outlets in most of the UAE’s prestigious malls and shopping centers - Burjuman, Mercato, Madinat Jumeira, Mall Of The Emirates, Ibn Batuta Mall, Jumeira Centre, Gold & Diamond Park, Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, Spinneys Trade Centre Road, Al Ghurair and Bur Dubai, Al Ain Mall, Dubai Festival City and Mirdiff. In keeping with it’s constant efforts to innovate, Liali recently opened ‘Serene’ an elegant outlet, at the Dubai Waterfront Mall (Dubai Festival City) showcasing a unique combination of fine jewelry and fine art.

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36 FASHION ROUND-UP

Dubai’s fashionable crowd at the Splash

Dina Sabnani – Marketing Manager of Splash talks to guests

Splash Fashion Extravaganza Photos by Kris Lee

Featuring 30 international models and DJ Jazzanova Splash, the international fashion retailer based in Dubai, launched its latest winter collection, Breakaway, at an ultra glamorous fashion show at the Park Hyatt. The show was a visual delight that exuded metropolitan fashion week chic with combinations of striking styles, international models and ingenious choreography. The globally acclaimed DJ Jazzanova rocked the turntables to top off this unforgettable fashion event.

Over 500 guests, including VIPs specially flown in from 10 countries, the crème de la crème of Dubai’s fashion and business scene and Mr. Micky Jagtiani, Chairman of Landmark Group arrived in style for this exclusive affair.

Raza Beig, CEO of Splash commented, “Splash has definitely come a long way since its humble beginning 14 years ago. We were very excited to showcase our new collection at this exclusive fashion event and to share this with our customers, local and global partners as well as the media. I personally would like to thank everyone who helped make this night truly special and unforgettabb ble. It’s the first of more megabfashion event’s to come” Dubaibbased, award winning events firm 9714 organised the show to the finest details creating a one of a kind extravaganza. “Splash is a powerful fashion retailer with over 60 stores across the GCC & Jordan. Its posibb tion as a homegrown ‘high street’ fashion retailer with international trends is firmly entrenched in the region.

We were really excited to work with them on this event and foresee a great continued relationship with Splash” Stated Bong Guerrero, Director, 9714.

FEATURE 7

outward global rippling of homegrown bad news. That, together with chronic stories on Philippine poverty, crime, corruption, sex and sleaze, make up what is, perhaps, one of the most misunderstood and underrated nations in the world and a people disadvantaged by stereotyping and a lack of confidence.

Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s speech in the 52nd anniversary of the NPC (National Press Club) might have been made three years ago, but the message resonates with utmost relevance at this time. With the backdrop of positive economic and political reforms, GMA encouraged the media to consider the ‘brighter side’ saying – “To peddle pessimism in the guise of truth results in a weakened national soul, and a people floundering in self-doubt.” She added, “I know that in a nation like ours that is riddled with pockets of extreme deprivation, projecting the brighter side is difficult and some would even say, a bad business decision. But there is a market for good news - and it is growing.”

Classic ‘kanya-kanya’ Stereotypes aside, are OFWs themselves, perhaps, guilty of their own brand of bias?

One wonders, in the maliciousness of this kababayan discrimination episode, whether some Filipino expats have actually seen a mirror to themselves. Is there a ‘Malu’ in all of us?

It is a classic struggle between the classes, as old as time itself and prevalent in any part of the world, or any community. What with the presence of Filipinos from all walks of life and how the community has quickly evolved from the service workers of the notso-distant past, to the new more aggressive, well-educated and moneyed Pinoys of the current cosmopolitan Gulf milieu – it is not unusual to find Filipinos who feel they have nothing familiar, and are therefore detached with the rest of the OFW community deemed as ‘common tao’.

The tragedy in all this, is that Filipinos do not realize that we are all unavoidably joined at the hips – just like conjoined twins; one suffering the other’s malady.

So to look down on another kababayan is just like shooting yourself on the foot.

Whether you like it or not, we are all assigned by the world to the same boat – because in reality, in everybody’s eyes, a Filipino will always be a ‘Filipino’.

Painful lessons learned In August, reality has reared its ugly head to the Filipino community confirming the things we normally would not dare dish out in the open – that we are negatively perceived and that acrid discrimination exists, not only from the outside, but from within our very own community. It is a bitter pill to swallow, and it had to take a writer’s vicious prejudice, the

publications’ irresponsibility and thousands of Pinoys bombarding the web, for us to realize some painful lessons that are not only timely, but should be taken with a sense of urgency.

The ray of sunlight after this storm has proved that Pinoys can unite – and that a lot of us have realized that we inevitably belong together. The fact that so many displayed an eagerness to be heard is also flare of hope that stands in the way of what once seemed like systemic apathy. And for those who regard their kababayans with insensitivity, perhaps the fate of the shamed writer and this episode, will serve as a cautionary tale making people think twice before they pass summary judgment on their own.

And for all the Filipinos’ differing dogmas, personal politics and trivial disagreements, most would probably agree that this affair signals that time has come for a change time to change our collective future, and this can only happen by looking inside ourselves.

National artist for literature F. Sionil Jose, in his essay ‘Why are Filipino so Poor’ has put the Filipino predicament so eloquently – “We have a real and insidious enemy that we must vanquish, and this enemy is worse than the intransigence of any foreign power. We are our own enemy. And we must have the courage, the will, to change ourselves.”

38 FASHION ROUND-UP

CREATIVE NAIL DESIGN UNVEILS FALL 07 ENAMEL COLLECTION At the fashion intersection of deep royal tones and gothic punk rock suggestions is Imperial Anarchy – CNDs new enamel collection. Imperial Anarchy debuted in the Fashion Week runways in New York and London - Hyde In The Dark was worn on the models at Behnaz Sarafpour, Monique Lhuillier, Kai Kuhne, Ashley Isham and Chris Han. Rock Royalty premiered at Miss Sixty and Julia Chancey with a similar custom blended shade created for 3.1 Phillip Lim. Crimson Uprising showed at Ben de Lisi. House Of Rebels complemented the palettes seen on Marc Bouwer and Malan Breton’s runways. Crowned glimmered on the fingertips at Atil Kutoglu. All in all, CND featured the way to show off hands this autumn/winter - with almond shaped nails drenched in velvety colors of pewter, plum and deep red.

Creative Nail Design products are available at leading salons and spas in Dubai and in the region.

Shoe Mart opens at Deira City Centre

Leading footwear chain Shoe Mart has opened its first in a series of high-fashion retail outlets, at Dubai’s retail hub. Occupying 12,000 sq. ft. and incorporating a fresh new boutique-style design, Shoe Mart’s new store at the Deira City Centre is an icon for the brand’s fashion-centric slant. The store opened its gates to customers on the 1st of September.

“As a brand, we have evolved significantly since our days of inception way back in 1990,” said Manu Jeswani, Chief Executive Officer, Shoe Mart. From a shoe store, we have grown to become a retail brand focused on families. Our metamorphosis into a fashion destination and then into a fashion brand is in place with the launch of this new store.”

Incorporating a more relaxed, sophisticated and understated design philosophy, the new Shoe Mart is subtler with a muted feel featuring display islands in a store with a welcoming ambiance. The new outlet carries Shoe Mart’s new season collection as well as higher-end ranges especially chosen for an AA+ shopping experience. Shoe Mart has 97 stores spread across UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait and Spain

KABUHAYAN REAL ESTATE

Money, Assets and Investing

Investing on Philippine Real Estate

By Bernadette Reyes

The slip in the real estate industry ushered in by the Asian financial crisis in 1997 is now a bleak memory of the past. Today, the property sector is making a comeback in the Philippines and real estate including residential and vacation houses and condominiums take center stage as ‘hot picks’ bought, not only as homes, but as profitable investments as well. dollars. Local rates are still cheaper when compared to similar properties being sold within the Asia-Pacific region. A typical studio-type condo will cost approximately PHP900,000. A 1-bedroom unit is pegged at PHP1 million up to a high of 7 to 10 million for 3 bedroom and penthouse units.

Low-cost to mid-level houses will range from a minimum of PHP300,000 to a high of PHP10 million depending on the cut of the land, and the size and location of the property. Prices could tick up to PHP20-25 million for high-end properties in prime locations.

Historic mortgage rates have been achieved on the back of a relatively stable political condition and a simultaneous drop in key rates has lead industry analysts to conclude that now is the best time to buy and hunt for bargains in the Philippines - while the supply is still ahead of demand.

Even if investors choose not to occupy these properties themselves, they still make sound investment because you can earn from rental or through resale of the property.

Property investments also yield higher income interest than having your money parked in a bank account. A time deposit could earn a maximum of 6% per annum but values of properties have been steadily rising at 10 to 15 % annually. And while houses per se are subject to general wear and tear, the value of lots will never go down. Bernadette Villarez who heads the International Sales of Filinvest Land said a house and lot bought at PHP1.5 million today can be sold not less than its original price a year from now because the value of the property will always be anchored towards the value of the land. The same way, a condo unit purchased in central business districts such as Makati, may maintain its value over the years but its value will never depreciate.

Prices of real estate in Metro Manila have gone up since the market started to pick up, but they still remain at a discount when translated into US

However, industry players cannot guarantee the same prices for the medium to long term. Developers also raise prices on a regular basis and prices may change unexpectedly depending on price fluctuations of construction materials. “Don’t wait until the market is really hot before you jump in. If you want to invest for profit you have to buy at a time when not everybody is joining the bandwagon, when prices have not yet gone sky high,” registered financial planner Malaya Laraya advised investors. It is best to buy during the pre-selling stage because it is during this period that is the cheapest you can get real estate but it is up to the investors to decide when to dispose their investment. Colliers International Phils., Inc. director for research and consultancy Richard Raymundo said it is always best to sell when the property has already appreciated in price to take in profit.

Real estate is also considered as a self-liquidating investment because even if you haven’t paid in full, you can lease it and use the rental fee as payment for monthly amortization. According to Colliers International’s Philippine Property Market Overview residential and commercial lease rates are now at the peak 1997 levels. Depending on the location, residential lease rates are posting an average of 6 to 8 % yield per annum. Revenues from commercial lease are slightly higher at 10 to 11 %.

KABUHAYAN REAL ESTATE

Money, Assets and Investing

Property investments also yield higher income interest than having your money parked in a bank account. A time deposit could earn a maximum of 6% per annum but values of properties have been steadily rising at 10 to 15 % annually. And while houses per se are subject to general wear and tear, the value of lots will never go down.

Sales of leisure properties such as vacation homes are also growing in the Philippines. A typical vacation house found in prime areas such as Baguio, Tagaytay and La Union costs only US$30,000 (PHP1.5 Million), equal to the price of an average car in the US. Depending on the area where the property is located and the developments to be undertaken around the vicinity (e.g. malls, roads), resale price of the property may appreciate. On the other hand buyers who wish to use the property in the future may want to rent out the property for tourists for the interim.

With the variety of products in the market and the burgeoning number of developers offering them, it is natural to get excited and make impulsive acquisitions. Investors are advised to exercise necessary precautions so you never have to feel sorry abut making the investment. Investors should be clear on what property they are looking for, what they want to accomplish and how much their budget can afford. “If you have enough money it’s better to buy real estate in highly-urbanized areas because of the demand in these locations. If you can wait longer before selling the property, you can go to outlying areas and wait for its value to appreciate,” Laraya said.

Once you have a clear-cut idea on what to purchase, find a developer with a reputable track record. Property companies including SM Investment Corp., Filinvest Land , Ayala Land and Megaworld are some of the know

developers in the country whose marketing efforts extend internationally.

Aside from CBDs including as Makati, Ortigas and Fort Bonifacio, developments are also found in peripheral locations such as Villamor, Cubao and Binondo while construction projects have also started to mushroom in outlying area such as Cavite and Laguna.

Ayala Land International Sales Marketing Manager Lisette Mangonon said condominium buyers should go with developers like Ayala who have property management teams that will oversee the upkeep and maintenance of the property, facilitate payments of taxes and other expenses and at times, seek tenants for the buyers. Mangonon suggested Ayala Land properties under the unit Community Innovations are ideal for middle-income households. “The towers in Makati would make a viable investment for them because they can afford it and they may have it rented to recoup investment,” Mangonon explained.

Property developer Filinvest Land is also in the process of creating its own project management team to provide better value proposition to investors.

You may also hire a licensed broker to guide you through the purchase instead of walking blindly into a presentation. Always seek for the best payment terms whether through in-house or bank financing but never fall for investment scams.

KABUHAYAN

INVESTING

Money, Assets and Investing

To be ‘truly’rich

By Lalaine Chu-Benitez • Photos courtesy of Enrico G. Villanueva

UAE-based Filipinos had the privilege of listening to two seasoned speakers on the art of striking it, not only rich, but ‘truly rich’. In two separate Think Truly Rich Pinoy seminars held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Bo Sanchez and Dr. Larry Gamboa addressed over 400 Filipinos, providing them an eye-opener on how financial and spiritual wealth go hand-in-hand.

Spirituality meets financial savvy Missionary, best-selling author, publisher, TV and radio personality and motivational speaker (among others) Bo Sanchez, was a preacher at the age of 13 and has lived most of his life in piety, in tune with the traditional values of his vocation - shunning material things.

However, his views changed when he eventually got married at the age of 30. “I realized that money is important.” Moreso, within his ministry, Bo noticed that 60% of the problems that people came to him with were money related.

He recalls feeling a sense of helplessness when he was unable to help because he himself did not have money to give away.

So the ‘Preacher in Blue Jeans’, as he is fondly called, went back to the scriptures to learn about money. “The scriptures teach you about honing your skills, abundance, earning as much as you can, and being generous,” he explains. Unlike how some traditionalists believe that “money is the root of all evil”, Bo’s view is very pragmatic – “Money is not the most important thing in the world, but it affects every other important thing in the world like your family, health, intellectual and spiritual life and your ability to help others.”

To supplement his understanding on finances, Bo sought out financial experts, to mentor him in the art of investing and then put together a success formula on creating material wealth while gaining spiritual abundance. “This is it.” He says. “This is what my countrymen, especially the OFWs do not know. I would like to help, especially the OFWs. They’ve worked for years but then they arrive in the Philippines with nothing - no investments, no properties,

Bo Sanchez with seminar attendees

no businesses, no paper assets, they have nothing. Maybe they bought a home and that’s great, but you can’t eat a wall, or you can’t eat a door, when you’re hungry.”

In his book 8 Secrets of the Truly Rich, Bo explains why people are poor. He cites that a lot of us don’t really want to be rich subconsciously – whether because of religion, or due to the belief that money is bad, or the simple fact that we cannot imagine ourselves being rich. He also mentions that most are financially inept and insist on “walking, instead of riding vehicles to wealth.”

In a book that promises to reveal, “what the rich know that the poor didn’t know”, Bo details in practical workable steps how one can attain true financial freedom by committing to success, learning the financial ‘ropes’ and being entrepreneurial creating several revenue

streams, particularly passive income, while living a fulfilled spiritual life.

“We Filipinos have become the best employees in the world. But we can mould our attitudes to become good entrepreneurs. Any OFW, as long we train them, can become the best entrepreneur,” he says.

On the spiritual side Bo advises OFWs to remain faithful, and dream with passion. “It’s about being a better person, being faithful, being a great parent, and being able to invest your money right. My message is a complete message.” And it is really about being truly rich.

KABUHAYAN

INVESTING

Money, Assets and Investing

Dr. Larry Gamboa at the seminar

From an academic to a real entrepreneur The other half of the informative and motivational seminar, Larry Gamboa, author of Think Rich Pinoy!, a book that teaches you how to become “fabulously wealthy”, espouses, what some might call unconventional ideas, culled from his personal experiences.

Larry earned a PhD in Business from the University of Michigan – but it was not his distinguished education that made the biggest impact on his finances. He noticed that wealth in his family was inversely proportionate to education – hence, though he had the highest academic attainment in the family; he was at the bottom of the financial ladder.

On the other hand, his mother, a widow who merely attended high school was at the top of the list – owning numerous properties and having a net worth higher than all her children (PhD, MBAs, etc.) combined. A look at mega entrepreneurs John Gokongwei, Henry Sy and Lucio Tan, further superimposed Larry’s observations that – “the lower the formal educational attainment, the greater the chances of becoming wealthy.

And even among entrepreneurs, the higher the educational degree, the lower the degree of entrepreneurial success.

“It’s the educational system.” Larry laments. “Our schools have taught us to think poor instead of thinking rich.” He proceeds to explain that schools teach people to be employees instead of entrepreneurs.

Another idea that the entrepreneur proposes is that our country is, in fact, rich – contrary to popular perception. He goes on citing the numerous multimillionaires in the country, the billions in pesos worth of savings exposed in pyramid scams, as well as OFW remittances which amount to more than half of what the Philippine government spends in a year, all proving that there is a lot of money flowing around.

According to Larry, a country that deploys seven million people around the world must also be rich in brainpower. “The simple truth is, the genius inside those coconut shells has not been unlocked. The prevailing system in the country has not allowed it. Think Rich Pinoy! offers the key to crack open that hard coconut shell so that genius can be unleashed.”

Apart from teaching readers to acquire the right entrepreneurial mindset and habits to embark on a life-changing financial turnaround, Think Rich Pinoy! trains readers on the practical aspects of entrepreneurship – taking you from cash flow quadrants, to different types of income and to the disparities between the cash flow of the poor versus that of the rich.

The largest chunk of Larry Gamboa’s book is devoted to learning the ropes of real estate investing, particularly generating money from foreclosed properties - a niche business the author learned from his mother and financial mentors. Here readers who seriously want to get down to business are provided with a very practical guide – from tips on how to prospect for properties, financing and loan procedures, working out the numbers, to eventually renting

or selling out the properties and generating a handsome passive income.

Larry sums up his concept as a “see-do-get”.

He explains, “If you do what you always do, then you will get what you always get. If you want to change the results, you must change the things that you do. But unless you ‘see’ things in a new way, you will not be able to ‘do’ things differently. That’s why the process involves seeing, doing and getting.”

The Think Truly Rich Pinoy seminar, an endeavor organized by Lighthouse, a UAEbased Filipino company devoted to providing learning opportunities to the community, has successfully given attendees, not only relevant knowledge, but also fresh optimism in their financial and spiritual outlook. The seminar is slated for a second run in January 2008.

SUCCESSFUL PINOY By Jeffrey Ximo Ramos In a series of motivational articles, Dubai-based author Jeffrey Ximo Ramos, shares with us practical success principles from his book Successful Pinoy Ako. Drawing from his experiences of ‘highs and lows’ while working in the emirate, the writer shows how dreams can be achieved by looking inside ourselves.

Do you know what to do to succeed?

Do you know what to do to be really successful?

We may have different ways of defining achievement but one thing is for sure – all of us want to be SUCCESSFUL. But does it stop there? Have you ever thought of how you can be truly successful? And if you already have what you want - how can you maintain success?

And most of all, how will you keep yourself from getting corrupted by it all?

Photography by : pixies• Agency: Dreamstime.com

“I want to be rich. I want to help people. I certainly want to be happy. I want a unified family. I want a progressive business. I want to love and be loved. I have many goals in my life and it’s good because I know what to do!”

This is the battle cry of the new generation Filipino. But the real question now is do you know what do?

Do you know what to do to be really successful?

When I asked fellow Filipinos if they are successful, this is what they have to say - some daring Pinoys would proudly confirm, “Yes!” (amidst relationship and personal problems).

Timid ones would remark, “Di pa eh…” (inspite of having helped their siblings through college) and the remaining kabayans would admit, “Di ko alam yata, ewan ko...”

Now, if I ask you. Yes, YOU! Successful ka ba?

Success is the primary target in everything that we do. We want to do great in our finances, in our marriage and family life, and of course, we want a winning career. Bakit nga ba nag abroad ka? Bakit kailangan mo pang lumabas ng Pilipinas?

This column is about sharing with you some success principles which have been tried and tested by Pinoys whose lives have changed for the better - from rich to poor, from unhealthy to fit, from corrupt to righteous, and yes, from losers to winners!

To be able to succeed, realize one important fact – “Kung sino ka ngayon ay dahil lang sa ‘yo – at wala ng iba.”

You are what you have made yourself. You can say that you are poor, because you were born poor; or it’s because of your girlfriend that you cannot study well; or because of your parents you took the accounting course which you did not like; or your barkada is the reason why you ended up with your wife; or that you are lonely that’s why you are sick and overweight. You can think of all the excuses in the world, but remember this –whatever complaints or praises you have in your life – it’s all because of your own doing – period.

Ask yourself all of your questions and answer this way, “Kasi pumayag akong mangyari ito sa akin.” Remember, one of your main faculties is your free will.

Bakit ka naghihirap? Kasi ayaw mong magpayaman. Ayaw mong magnegosyo. Baka ayaw mong maghanap ng trabaho o kung may trabaho man, hindi mo gusto ang iyong ginagawa at a yaw mo nang hanapin pa ang tunay mong interest.

Bakit ang taba-taba mo? Subukan mo kayang magbawas ng sobrang pagkain at mag-exercise kahit 30 minuto araw-araw.

Bakit ka nakapag-asawa ng ‘ganyan’? Kasi nagsabi ka ng “I do” ng hindi mo man lang pinag-isipan. It was your decision! Kahit na may shotgun pang nakatutok sa iyo, ikaw pa rin ang sumagot at nagpatali.

Bakit naghihirap ang ating bansa? Dahil ba bumoto ka ng hindi ka nag-iisip o nagpadala ka sa suhol o sabi sabi? Or worse, baka hindi ka kasi bumoto! You did not exercise your right as a citizen of the country. Tapos aangal ka na ang taas taas ng bilihin at sisisihin mo ang EVAT ng gobyerno.

But, that’s all water under the bridge. The important thing is that you admit to yourself that whatever happens to you in your life - you have allowed it.

Now is the time to change. Tell yourself – “Ako ang rason kung ano ako ngayon...wala ng iba kaya ang mga susunod kong hakbang ay aayusin ko na. I will make responsible decisions and I will not lay blame on anybody else, because I hold my own future.”

To take ownership of your life, and to reach success is not easy – but it can be done.

Being responsible for whatever happens to you – physically, mentally, financially, emotionally, spiritually, socially, is key.

This is the first step towards real success.

Located In Satwa Near Iranian Hospital

All your favorite Filipino products and more...

46 KABAYANIHAN IN ACTION From right to left - Pol Casino (GK Head, Bulacan), Trinidad Atienza (Proxy for Ramon Navea representing UNB, Dubai Pinoys), Capt. Rey Policarpio (Barangay Captain, Brgy. Minuyan, Towerville), Lisa Cruz (Illustrado representative) and Gil Estrella (GK Finance Officer , Bulacan).

Illustrado’s GK Anniversary Project To commemorate its first year anniversary this September, Illustrado has embarked on a ‘gratitude’ project with the help of some wellmeaning and generous Pinoys in the UAE. Working with Gawad Kalinga, the group has pooled together their resources to provide a new lease on life to a handful of families in the Philippines – donating 5 houses in a row in Towerville, Bulacan.

“w

e feel very fortunate to be interior designers from PSID (coordinated in the position that we are by Michael Vincent Serrano) and a group of in right now – to be able to generous friends (coordinated by Sheila and influence people positively Caloy Lopez), who had a soft spot for the lessand to enjoy the support of our kababayans fortunate back home. out here. This is a landmark occasion for Sheila Lopez, speaking on behalf of her group such a well-meaning project like Illustrado and there’s no better way of celebrating our of friends said, “We’ve always wanted to help, first birthday than by saying ‘thank you’ and but couldn’t figure out how to go about it. We giving back to our people – albeit in a modest wanted to infect as many friends as possible way,” remarks Lalaine Chu-Benitez, Illustrado’s with the urge to help people other than those we’re expected to assist. For sure, lahat tayo Publisher and Editor. marami na ring tinutulungang mga kamaganak.”

In keeping with the magazine’s community orientation, the Illustrado team sought the participation of several groups to make this into a true kabayanihan exercise that will serve as a good example to Filipinos in the Gulf.

Illustrado was joined by Filipinos from Union National Bank (coordinated by Ramon Navea), the Aggarao family, prominent Pinoys in Dubai’s creative community,

Ramon Navea and his group of Pinoys working for Union National Bank were very eager to chip in. “Initially, I was planning to involve my golf buddies but it was difficult to gather everybody since most were on summer vacation. So I thought of sharing the initiative with Filipino colleagues in UNB. Inspite of the short notice, everyone gladly shared their humble contributions. He adds, “I believe that we are building a culture of social

responsibility by giving back and helping our society”.

Enjoying professional success in the advertising field in the country, the Aggarao’s wanted to share their blessings with the needy. Speaking for her family, Catherine Aggarao, Managing Director of Q&A Advertising remarked, “Countless people have helped us reach the position we enjoy today.

Any opportunity to give and to share our time and possession is our way of honoring these people. In doing so, we discovered what the ‘rich at heart’ truly enjoy – that there is indeed more joy in giving than in receiving. And guess what, the feeling simply inspires more giving.’’

For Michael Vincent Serrano and his friends, graduates of the PSID (Philippine School of Interior Design), joining the endeavor was very timely. “You look at the affluence all around you in Dubai and you feel that you have to do something more meaningful in your life, that’s beyond work and money.”

KABAYANIHAN IN ACTION 47 Illustrado coordinated the effort with Issa Cuevas-Santos, GKs Head for Partnerships, who has directed the donations to their project site in Towerville, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, one of the organization’s biggest relocation sites. Towerville is home for more than 10,000 families who were formerly squatters in the Metro Manila area.

“One of the benefits of working with GK is that we meet so many people like you around the world - Filipinos who have not forgotten the motherland and are truly making a difference,” said Cuevas-Santos in appreciation of the group’s effort. “I hope this project inspires many more people to remember the Philippines and our people.”

Apart from the gesture of ‘giving back to the community’ the project was also meant to show Filipino expats that, contrary to what most would think, helping poor kababayans does not require huge amounts of money. In fact, the cost of a GK home (US$ 1,500 outside Metro Manila and US$ 1,800 within Manila), can be conveniently shared by Filipinos within groups or organizations.

Encouraging Pinoys in the community, Lalaine Chu-Benitez explains, “If you have a group who’s willing to help, small individual donations go along way. Imagine all those times when you’ve gone to the mall and bought something on impulse? Remember, Dhs 100, or even less if you have a big group, pooled together with the contributions of others, could change the life and the otherwise bleak future of a poor family in the Philippines. And that money will give you a greater feeling, more than what you will get from buying another piece to throw into your closet.”

And as Tony Meloto, GK President, has said to the attendees to the first National Township Development Summit at the Ateneo de Manila University, “Make the poor the heir of a great town that will rise, where they will live in dignity and pride as you bring them out of landlessness, homelessness, and hunger.

Give your sons and daughters who have gone abroad a reason to come home and help those they have left behind.”

Illustrado thanks the following GK project contributors: Aggarao Family Aggarao, Cathy and Edan Aggarao, Belen and Adgar Aggarao-Manguilin, Voltarr Union National Bank Filipinos Andal, Mrs. Jocelyn Gonzales Andres, Ms. Arlene Medina Apua, Mr. Erwin Rommel Patrimonio Araja, Mr. Ferdinand Dimaano Bernardo, Ms. Rona Mejia Bolanos, Mr. Philip Jao Cabailo, Mrs. Zarina Bueno Cabiguen, Mr. Christopher Arevalo Camacho, Ms. Ma.Lorraine Azarcon Camus, Ms. Rosario Joy Quirong III Carreon, Ms. Liezl San Mateo Castellon, Mr. Henry Dapilan Castillo, Ms. Kathleen Carole Talavera Co, Ms. Precy Marcelo Cordero, Mr. Mark Joseph Jardeleza Cruz, Mrs. Olivia Aguilar Cruz, Ms. Veronica Reyes Cueto, Ms. Marlie Trivino Cunanan, Ms. Jennifer Aquino Dantes, Mr. Ricardo Caluag Dela Cruz, Mr. Marcelo III Moreno Domingo, Mr. Renato Padilla Estaris, Ms. Rosemarie Joaquin Famularcano, Ms. Mary Anne Gamboa Gomez, Ms. Doreen David Hemady, Ms. Aubrey Buenaventura Hibaya, Ms. Jean Duero Ibasan, Mr. Denise Jerome Caballero Jusay, Ms. Joanne Mary Guillermo Laurena, Ms. Lia Opina Leyesa, Mr. Bernard France Madera, Ms. Maria Salve Abundo Magdadaro, Mr. Weny Sycayco Mallari, Mrs. Abigail Manuba Mangalus, Ms. Jhoanna Villegas Mangmang, Mr. Glen Cano Melliza, Mr. Ryan Elner Abella Mendioro, Mr. Jorge Jorel Joaquin Mr. Ramon Lukban Navea & FAMILY Neptuno, Ms. Kristine Santos Pablo, Ms. Mary Ann Pedrocillo Pacana, Ms. Jennifer Pascual Palaypayon, Ms. Rowena Vargas Patdu, Ms. Josephine Galura

Perillo, Mr. Paolo Villegas Ponce, Ms. Jean Aileen Arca Prasad, Mrs. Sharon Marie Estrada Quitangon, Ms. Bertha Grace Lucena Rivera, Mr. Raymond Lim Santos, Mrs. Adelia Vinluan Sapitan, Mr. Godofredo Pineda Saracho, Ms. Maricel Ardivilla Sumalnap, Ms. Elaine Del Fonso Tomenio, Mr. Ricardo Borja Torres, Ms. Sheila Marie Garcia Tuano, Mrs. Janet Mayuga Vilches, Mr. Titus Jayme Villagracia, Ms. Azaleah Tabuso Yang, Ms. Janice Perla Alconcel, Melody Almario, Dawn Almario, Manny Banci, Rizza Barrera, Nerie Borges, Marna and Erryl Buenavides, Elcy Casipe, Jay-R De Guzman, Randi Esguerra, Godie Francisco, Babes and Rany Fuentes, Chris Gaerlan, Nadia Gacal, Leah and Cleo Geronimo, Ruby Gloria, Cid Guzman, Sonny Guzman Human, Mel and Willie Jose, Cherie and Gerry Khan, Louie Lindstrom, Bernadette and Jan Martinez, Alvin and Christine Nakhle, Josie and Michel Nequinto, Charles Nemo Pangilinan, Loi and Esmi Perdido, Alpe Santiago, Joanne and Amado Serrano, Mac Subeldia, Vince Tajanlangit, Rachelle and Johnny Vargas, Gigit and Red Yanes, Daisy Yanes, Mylene And Dubai-based Interior Designers from the PSID (Philippine School of Interior

Aggarao Family

Union National Bank Pinoys

48 FROM OUR READERS

Gawad Kalinga Great Adventure Tour

Unlike other UAE-based teens who spend their summers hanging-out in malls or going for long leisurely holidays, Joan Tuaño, Filipino youth leader, and her team went on an adventure trip interacting with our underprivileged kababayans back home through Gawad Kalinga. What they gained was more precious than just the excitement that the tour promised

T

his scalding hot summer of 2007, my parents gave my brother and I a month and a half in the Philippines. I was ecstatic, not only because I’d be working at my mom’s restaurant, but because the 1st Gawad Kalinga (GK) Youth Middle East Great Adventure Tour is happening – and I’m part of it.

For six days and at US$ 200 per person, our team, a large number of Middle East based youth, merged with a group of Canadians, to visit notable places, as well as Gawad Kalinga (GK) villages around the country.

Most of us did not know each other well, which made living and working together all the more exciting.

Being able to see such astoundingly beautiful places such as the Intramuros in all its mind-blowing historical importance, the Ayala Museum, which displays the story of the Filipino in such a way that makes one proud, sensational spots such as the Sol Grande De Taal after passing through Tagaytay, made me wonder why anyone would want to leave the Philippines, and why there is so much poverty.

Our experience in GK villages was even more significant. We were the first group of youth to build on a new GK site, called GK Alapan at Imus, Cavite. And I cannot help saying how fun and proud we were as we

dug up earth for the foundations of a new house, as we passed bricks to each other, and mixed cement and covered up the walls. We also held an event for kids at GK Maryville which really made us feel for these people.

Ate Myra Ortega, spoke about pride. She asked us, “Are you proud of the Philippines?

How many times do you visit?” That talk really struck me, because I realized that I am not as proud of the Philippines as I should be.

An important part of our GK visits were the talks held by a number of GK real heroes or bayanis. Mr. Kirby Llaban, Bai Linda, Ate Myra Ortega, and many others not only spoke so much sense, but because their message came straight from their hearts, I am almost certain that it changed the minds of everyone in the audience.

During this trip, we were able to learn more about the Philippines, experience how hard it is to earn a living, and empathize with the needy. We came out of the experience prouder of our country than we ever were, and were energized by an amazing rush of determination and willpower to share the blessings we have, with those who need it the most.

Mr. Kirby Llaban said that poverty is not about the people who have barely enough money for themselves, but it is the comparison made by those who are more fortunate than them. He even gave us statistics! He told us that in the Philippines, more than a million text messages are sent daily. Think of all the ‘textaholics’! How many texts do they send a day? And for a peso each? How many could five people donate to GK if they didn’t text for a month?

If everyone only took the time to see the superficial things that we can sacrifice, even just for a little while, the world would be a better place, just like that.

Ate Bai Linda, from Kidapawan, Mindanao, is the first Muslim full-time worker for GK. We were so blessed to have her with us.

She feels that it is necessary to unite the Filipino people and to strive for peace and understanding for the whole country.

So, if you’re a kid and you’ve been bumming around this summer playing your Playstation, or if you’re a parent and you’ve been letting your kids spend all your money this summer in the malls or theme parks, or if you’re someone who’s looking for somewhere to go to and something worthwhile to do on your next holiday – Go home! Look around over there! There is so much to see, so much to do, so much to learn. Forget about Disneyland and your immigration to the US or Canada, remember (or discover) the beauty of your own country! Let us restore the pride of the Filipino!

Mabuhay!

FROM OUR READERS 49

On Being a Proud Pinoy

Away from the Motherland

Just like thousands of Filipinos in the UAE, contributor Roll Jervis Manahan arrived in the emirates during his tender teens. Recovering from the initial culture shock, the young man recounts how he has grown to love the Philippines more and how he came to realize his important role as a Filipino expat, while being away from the homeland.

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can still remember the feelings in my heart as I packed my luggage and got ready to fly to a land I barely knew - Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Being 13 years old at that time, I did not have mixed emotions - I was excited that a lot of doors were about to open; opportunities were waiting to be seized, and new places waiting to be explored. As the plane ascended, I felt as though I was at the zenith of my success. But when I disembarked from the aircraft, trepidation enveloped me. My excitement was short-lived.

Fear continued to grow as foreigners surrounded me. I am now a stranger in a foreign land. What lies a head? I do not know.

It had seen almost all the wonderful places in the UAE. But as I continued to adjust to its fast-paced lifestyle, I had an intense longing to be back in the country very dear to me. I missed my friends and relatives back home; I felt homesick. At that point in my life I was unsure of where I was headed in the future. Questions would pop up in my mind, “Will I be able to survive in this in a place surrounded by people with whom I cannot even start a conversation with?”

But in Dubai’s life lies this rule - you have to

mingle; you have to blend or else you’ll be leading a solitary life.

Two months passed. I have gotten accustomed to interacting with other cultures. I even realized that it is an advantage on my part to have different contacts and that would give me an edge when I would have to eventually job hunt.

I also realized another valuable lesson – that people only appreciate the value of something when they are on the verge of losing it, or when they have totally lost it. I did not love the Philippines when I was there. It was in a foreign land where I learned how to appreciate the beauty of our homeland and the values it ingrained upon me. Indirectly, being with foreigners taught me how to love my own country, my own culture, and my countrymen. It was the experience of Dubai, which extracted the patriotic juices within me. Now, it was overflowing.

Yet, my uneasiness with foreigners and my inability to establish rapport with them left a positive impact on me. Teachers always tell us that we can learn something good even from the things that are unlikely to teach us a lesson, including setbacks in our life. And this is what I realized Filipinos abroad, like you and me, have a vital

role in the propagation of nationalism and cultural identity. We, as global citizens, and through good examples, can show the world that Filipinos are world-class. As we interact with other cultures, we can show that we are equipped with the essential skills and talents, which make us equals and not subordinates. We should never be ashamed to tell the world that we are Pinoys. Our love for country should not be diminished by the fact that we live in a foreign land.

We feel unique when we are around other people, and we can showcase our extraordinary talents and abilities. We Filipinos have a reason to feel proud to be in Dubai- a cultural melting pot, because we are destined to shine.

Dubai has taught me many things I could have not known if I am in the Philippines.

Amazingly, it is here where I discovered my love of country. It has widened my perspective in life and rekindled my patriotism. I am also indebted to this place for strengthening my sense of belongingness to my community and my pride of being a Filipino. Now, I found my true identity…without being ashamed of it.

I earnestly wish that I am not alone in learning to love the motherland.

By Elle Crisostomo

VIEWS AND ISSUES OF THE INTERNATIONAL FILIPINOS

SIFTING THROUGH GARBAGE

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alu Fernandez, a columnist at the Manila Standard Today newspaper and People Asia magazine, may have resigned from her post, but the tremor of her indefensible (travel) article continues to reverberate in OFW communities around the world.

The travel piece, ’From Boracay to Greece!’ appeared in the June edition of the magazine and later in condensed form in the newspaper, recounts her mock horror at finding herself at Dubai Duty Free “overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume.”

“I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them,” she wrote.

She also wrote of her experience on-board with kabayans reeking with awkward pleasantries and cheap cologne.

country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabes. One group will never get the culture of the other. Although I could mention that it is easier to understand someone who has a lower socioeconomic background that would entail a whole other page and frankly I don’t want to be someone to bridge the gap between socioeconomic classes. I leave that to the politicians in my family who believe they can actually help,” she said.

Come next election, one would wonder who would need greater help, her political family or their constituents? Mmmm.

Sifting through the ruins (where much of Ms Fernandez’ career is right now) of this unfortunate cycle of events (article-outrage-apology-and more outrage), one cannot help but salute our kabayans around the world for making such a formidable stand against bigotry. The strength of our influence has indeed grown through the years. Let’s continue to use it to protect our common interests.

“I thought I had died and God had sent me to my very own private hell,” she adds.

Her first attempt at an apology only betrayed a frightening layer of bigotry.

But there’s another lesson to be learned here, and that is to ensure that we live our lives with decency and empathy towards others, regardless of our social status.

“If any of these people actually read anything thicker than a magazine they would find it very funny,” she wrote.

There’s also the lesson of forgiveness, knowing fully well that the more we dwell on the ‘hurt’ we perpetuate a negativity that becomes our own.

And an even lower “low life” kind of bigotry:

Just like Malu Fernandez’ cologne and writing career, let’s banish this episode to thin air.

“Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this

Letters from the edge of the teeming metropolis 51 The BER months are back, my friend!

You always know when it’s September when the people queuing at dollar exchange outlets in malls have dwindled to a hand few.

The balikbayans who visited or vacationed July and August have flown back to their adopted ‘homes’ in time for the start of the new school term.

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he faces of strangers who descended in our favorite malls are gone and the more familiar faces are back.

The American accents I was just about getting used to hearing in the usual din are also gone.

Well, three more months and it’s keso de bola and castt tanas time again and the balikbayans, and this time, tens of thousands of OFWs, will be crowding the foreign exchange windows. And again I’ll turn green with envy.

Speaking of Forex, our friend, Mel, is back from his 7-year stint in KSA. For good this time, he tells me. Aiwa, Allatul! Not that he wanted to but because of the Saudization Program. Him and a lot of our friends are flying back in.

Well, Mel’s kids are all grown up, settled down, with their own fami-lies. His house is paid for. He’s got a nice new van and a lot of money stashed away in a bank. Problem is, with the peso strengthening, his money is slowly being whittled down in value. I’m sure a lot of our kabayans aren’t so happy with this development. But this is what the government has been crowing about the past couple of months and what many OFWs are crying about.

The only advice I can give him is to invest. Spend it! Now! In real estate.

Or a good franchise that guarantees quick ROI. I think that’s best. Don’t you?

Nothing much is happening here during September. No holidays for this month and the next.

Next one would be in November - All Saint’s Day. Lucky if they declare 31 October a half day.

The only day that seem to matter this month is 21 September - Martial Law. And that - not worth celebrating. If GMA declares it a non-working holiday, we should all be worried.

Remembrance with the names of over 100 heroes and martyrs who fought the Marcos dictatorship. Like those war memorials in the States, I guess.

Well, since it’s martial law month, I think I’ll bring the family and visit the Martial Law Museum they recently opened there. It’s creating quite a buzz now.

There is a replica of the tiny cell of activist priest Fr. Jerry Aquino. It is cramped; it has a small wooden bed, an even smaller table, and a dingy toilet bowl. He was mysteriously killed in a vehicular accident a year after his release.

There is also the Sept. 23, 1972 issue of the Manila Chronicle, which never made it to the streets. A collector’s item. It carried a girl’s letter to our favorite dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Mementos, documents, letters and other memorabilia on display span the period from 1965, when Marcos was sworn in as President, up to the glorious days of Edsa I in 1986.

I read somewhere that at the end of the museum, the Edsa People Power section they have a small wooden replica of a military tank, the size of a car set against a backdrop of a mass of protesters. I find it sad that the museum curators couldn’t acquire a real tank. That would have been more dramatic. I guess the AFP is not too keen on donating a tank for the cause. But as the curators say it is still “work in progress.”

A 200-page book, Bantayog ng mga Bayani (Monument of Heroes) was also launched. In it are 161 heroes who fought the dictatorship. 160 Filipinos mostly student and community activists, but also included priests, nuns, journalists, lawyers and Supreme Court justices and one Italian priest Fr. Favali. What was that military backed cult that was responsible for his death? They ate his heart, if I remember it right. We saw that in a movie.

Anyway, that’s something to do this month.

Speaking of martial law, ever notice that soaring 45-foot bronze monu-ment along Quezon Avenue near the corner of EDSA? It’s on your right, if you’re going to the Quezon Circle. That’s the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Memorial.

I haven’t been inside. And all I know about it is that it was founded by former Senate President Jovito Salonga and that it has a Wall of

I’ll try to get you a copy of this month’s issue of that magazine People Lifestyle Asia, Asia People Lifestyle (Heck! Whatever its name!) and work up your blood pressure. Aren’t you curious what Malu Fernandez, the new Queen of Mean, has to say?

Till next dispatch.

52 COCONUTER

A young Pinoy rediscovers his roots • By David Poarch

Discovering

Bisay Falls

In the outskirts of Morong, Bataan exists a small village tucked away in the rolling mountains. Aetas (or Kulot) or those with Aeta lineage make up most of the community’s population. Apart from them, it is unlikely you will see anyone else journeying up the mountain on a regular basis. But the few who do come closer to another Philippine treasure.

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Though small in stature, they were sturdy young men.

Peering through cigarette smoke, they pointed at the mountain that needed to be surpassed in order to reach Bisay Falls. Puffing more smoke, they asked me to think long and hard before we headed out on this expedition.

They explained to me why.

Most visiting hikers come during the summer months when an easy dry trail is bulldozed. And even then, almost all hikers stay the night at the falls due to the exhaustion. I, on the other hand, would be hiking in the middle of the rainy season and along a muddy and narrow trail. Not only that, but I would also need to head back shortly after reaching the waterfalls.

Since I was adamant about reaching the waterfalls, the two young Aeta men flicked their cigarettes away and stood up. As if preparing for a hard workout, they took their shirts off and laid them on their shoulders. One of them revealed a pair of tattoos on his back that I was not sure of what of.

And so we left the nursery where they plant for food and started off on the long and difficult trail of Mt. Kairukan.

It began easy enough. I was even amused by the new exotic plants and towering trees I saw. They told me to feel free to ask anything so I rattled away with several “What’s this called?” or “ Ano ang tawag dito?” And they had an answer for every one of them. I cannot even remember the majority of what they had told me, but perhaps next time I will bring a notebook to write down the knowledge that they shared. Some of the gigantic trees had names like tungkod langit, lawaan or laoaan, and tag-isang bayawak.

Some trees were silky smooth while others seemed to have large warts growing on them. A plant, known as Is-is (which is tagalog for “scrub”), is actually used to scrub the stains and dirty markings off pots and pans. The Aetas informed me that this was a paradise for local Filipino taxonomists.

Soon, however, I lost interest in asking out of curiosity as I paid more particular attention to my throbbing heart. It truly was a difficult trail. Not only was it very long, but it was steep and very slippery. A lot of strain

was being placed on my legs (particularly the calf muscles and ankles) and back. I was sweating profusely, and my shirt was proof of it, which camouflaged beautifully with the surroundings. Once we reached a peak, I thought that we had made it. But they informed me that it was only the halfway point and that it is just as difficult going downhill. Slipping, sliding, and shin straining, we carefully made our way through the jungle once more. Morning turned into night in a matter of a few hours due to the dense foliage and tree canopies. And just as you think you are about to collapse from shear exhaustion, a crashing of water brings temporary relief and energy back through your veins.

We had made it to Bisay Falls. The magnificent sight of the towering waterfalls crashing down gracefully into a blue-green pond brought a smile to our faces. No one wanted to jump in though, as it was freezing. Despite our hot sweaty bodies, we were so high up and in so deep into the jungle that we were shivering from the cold breeze and spraying mists that the crashing water created. But I just could not resist. In I went into the frigid water. I collected some of the pristine water from the falls and savored every drop as I was very thirsty from the extreme hike.

There was not much time to spare to enjoy the scenery, so off we were to make it back before dark. It was much more difficult on the way back.

Hunger pangs and cramps struck. My muscles were now sore and my joints aching every step of the way. I soon had to go barefoot as even my slippers or tsinelas gave in. I was dizzy and slipped and fell many times, sometimes with barely enough energy to get back up right away. But we did make it back. The Aetas told me to be proud, as only seven hours had passed.

My two Aeta buddies guided me all the way back, making short comments every now and then about the plants and trees to help me forget about my tired body. Although I would have a fever that evening after coming back home and would continue to have a fever for three and a half days straight, I did not regret the experience as the waterfalls remain enchanting as I recall it in memory today.

ARTS & CULTURE 53

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

By Jame Ong

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There’s a palpable sense of excitement at the orchestra wings of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and it’s coming from the re-energized Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) the country’s leading orchestra, widely regarded as one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia Pacific Region. Since joining the national orchestra as its Music Director and Chief Conductor in 2004, Americanborn Filipino conductor Eugene Castillo has made it his mission to raise PPO’s profile worldwide, as well as making it a source of national pride.

astillo’s story is an inspiration to Filipino talents based outside the country.

Unknown to many, Eugene was a rising star in America’s classical music scene before he decided to come back to the land of his parents to pursue his passion. In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, he said that he thought of becoming a conductor after seeing cartoon character Bugs Bunny conducting Luciano Pavarotti.

“I actually grew up listening to the three Bs - Bach, Beethoven and the Beatles,” he told the paper.

Before joining the PPO as its fourth Music Director and Principal Conductor, Los Angeles-born Castillo was music director of the Camellia Symphony in Sacramento, California, where his works received ecstatic reviews. He earned his Master of Music degree in conducting, with highest distinction, from California State University at Northridge, and is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the national music honor society.

Eugene has conducted in Ukraine, Spain and Mexico, as well as across the United States, and looks forward to upcoming performances in the United Kingdom and

Asia. The Washington Post hailed him the ‘true star of the evening’ during his debut performance with the National Symphony in Washington, DC. California critics have also described him as “a fusion of passion and sensitivity”. He was California’s Critic’s Choice in the years 2000 and 2002.

Castillo is known to bring to audiences an eclectic mix of symphonic music. He also advocates contemporary and living composers and is a staunch advocate of arts education and outreach programs, passionate in his belief in the power of music to uplift and bring people together.

54 ARTS & CULTURE

MALANG

life

celebrates

By Karen Galarpe Pictures courtesy of Western Gallery

In just a few more months, Mauro Malang Santos, the famous Filipino artist, will be 80 years old. Eighty. What do most people do at 80? They’re mostly at home, enjoying their retirement if they are not sick.

The Master, Mauro Malang Santos

Not Malang. On his upcoming 80th birthday this January 20, 2008, he will mount an exhibit of 80 works at the SM Megamall Art Center in Mandaluyong City to celebrate the 80 wonderful years God gave him. And this is not an exhibit of old works. The artist has been diligently painting for the past several months, working mostly with acrylic and oil to yet again bring to life the images that constantly play in his mind: women in butterfly sleeves selling everything from flowers to fruits, and mothers with their young children.

ARTS & CULTURE 55

Family Oil on Canvas 16x23

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For years, Malang has been enamored with the Filipina woman in a baro’t saya. She reminds him of his mother, Justina, who would be garbed daily in the traditional attire when Malang was growing up. The family had a sari-sari store on Avenida in Manila just beside his father’s pharmacy, and the young Malang ‘s task was to bring out the large jars of candies and biscuits to the store every morning and bring them back into the house again at night. Because of this, Malang could not help painting women vendors in baro’t saya with their wares from the time he started painting professionally in the late ‘50s up to now.

Malang’s talent for the visual arts was evident even when he was a young boy. Acknowledging this, his parents let him take private drawing lessons from their neighbor Teodoro Buenaventura, then a retired professor at the UP School of Fine Arts . Later on, he enrolled in that school for college, but dropped out before the first semester was over due to boredom. He then joined the Manila Chronicle as illustrator in 1947, and it was here that he went to “college” learning from his boss H.R. Ocampo, who later became a National Artist. From doing illustrations and cartoon strips, Malang, in between newspaper deadlines, started painting barong-barong communities, barrio scenes, landscapes, and women vendors.

Fruit Vendor Oil on Canvas 20x16

56 ARTS & CULTURE

Vendors Oil on Canvas 17.5x17.5

In 1962, while he was still at the Chronicle, Malang mounted his first one-man show at the famed Philippine Art Gallery owned by writer-painter Lydia Arguilla. Arguilla named him as one of the artists to watch out for in her “Twelve Artists in the Philippines—Who’s Who” list. That exhibit was sold out. Five years later, Malang had his second one-man show, this time at the Luz Gallery, and from then on he pursued painting as a profession, exhibiting not only in the Philippines but also in other countries like the US, Taiwan, Italy, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Bahrain.

Throughout the years, Malang has become more and more popular among art patrons and art lovers. His art is universal—easy to

digest and appreciate that both the old and the young (in Manila and abroad) get drawn to his colorful works. And yet his art is very Filipino—we can all relate; just one look at his work and you’ll know the emotions he is trying to convey and the milieu he is depicting.

For this reason, Malang has reaped awards left and right, foremost of which is the Gawad para sa Sining (Visual Arts) from the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1994.

But Malang being Malang, he does not rest on his laurels. To this day, he still wakes up at the break of dawn to paint after a quiet hour of prayer in his studio in Quezon City.

ARTS & CULTURE 57

Fuit Vendor Oil on Canvas 18x21

It’s hard to change my routine,” Malang says.

After breakfast at his favorite hamburger place nearby, he goes back to his studio to paint again. Later on in the day, his son Soler, also an artist, sometimes joins him in his studio to paint alongside him. (His other son Steve prefers to paint at home.) When it’s merienda time, he takes a snack with another son, Simon.

Malang also hangs out in the afternoons in daughter Sarah’s office, sketching and doodling while Sarah oversees the family’s crafts business, Marisan.

“We’re very close as a family up to now. I live with all my children and 12 grandchildren under one roof,” Malang reveals. “It’s important to maintain family ties. If my family is gone, I’m gone as well.”

Three Women Oil on Canvas 18x18

58 ARTS & CULTURE

Woman Oil on Canvas 11x11 7

The family support is crucial, and this was proven during Malang ‘s bout with vertigo last year. For almost six months, Malang could not go about his usual painting routine. Just standing or opening his eyes would make his head spin. His children rallied around him, made sure he was able to rest and got the best medical care, and encouraged him daily. Soon he was able to recover, and now he is back to his old form. “I can still paint the whole day,” Malang says.

And that is exactly what he advises young painters to do: paint every day. That is his secret to his “staying power” in the arts scene. “Keep on painting even if no one is buying your work. Come up with an exhibit.

Collectors go by name, so if you have a show, your name becomes familiar,” he says.

Fruit Vendors Oil on Canvas

ARTS & CULTURE 59

Three Women Oil on Canvas

Malang also shows his support for younger artists by mentoring them through the Saturday Group, a group of artists who meet on, you got it, Saturdays. They have painting sessions weekly at Shangri-La Plaza mall. The mere presence of Malang and other veteran artists like Cris Cruz encourages young new artists to hone their talent.

Asked if there are still projects he wants to do, Malang says everything has been done already. “I am very much contented in life. I have my family. I have my artist friends. And I can still paint. That’s what I really want to keep on doing. I see myself painting until my last breath,” he says. For Malang, each painting is a celebration of life, a thanksgiving offering to God. So while he still can, he will pick up that brush and paint away.

Harvest Oil on Canvas 8.5x8.5

60 BAKASYON GRANDE

BAGUIO

and the scent of childhood summers

Nothing is more nostalgic than smell.

When we pass by a familiar place, find an old photograph, discover a letter or a record from our past, the trigger is not as immediate as when we get a whiff of perfume or any unexpected scent, however fleeting or momentary. And of course, nothing else brings me quite back to those childhood summer days, than the distinctive scent of Baguio.

Lions Head

Mines View

Text and photographs by Lisa Cruz

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Have been to Baguio so many times through the years dating back to when I was barely ten. I have the old photographs, several silver bracelets, the handwoven bags and blankets and the love for anything with strawberries and ube to prove it. But nothing brings me back to the Baguio of my childhood more overwhelmingly than the scent of its pine trees, wildflowers, its cool mountain breeze, the scent of oak or cold cobbled stone paths that immediately conjure images of summer weekends at Teacher’s Camp or biking at Burnham Park or just plain posing at the observation deck at Mines View park. For this trip, it was the whiff of husks from brooms on sale by the roadside, which woke me up as our car made its way up to Baguio through Naguilian Road. We came by way of La Union where I managed to hitch a ride with a

friend who had a meeting in San Fernando.

From there, it took us about an hour to get to Baguio, with four brand new Baguio brooms in our trunk.

From Manila by bus, it takes an average of 5-6 hours to travel the 250-km distance to Baguio through Kennon Road, two hours longer if you take Marcos Highway and add another hour if you go by Naguilian. Kennon Road is the most scenic of the three routes but also the most dangerous especially during rainy season when landslides occur. Departures start at five in the morning for regular buses from Manila and Baguio with major bus lines now offering express trips that take no longer than four hours at a much higher fare.

On any given day, Baguio City is at least eight degrees cooler than any place in the lowlands, seldom exceeding 26 degrees centigrade at its warmest. It is situated at the mountainous region of Cordillera, 1,500 meters above the sea, 250 kilometers north

of Manila with an area of about 49 square kilometers enclosed in a perimeter of 30 kilometers. Landslides and earthquakes notwithstanding, it is still the undisputed summer capital of the Philippines.

We got through Session Road traffic half past noon and went straight to Otek Street, not far from Burnham Park, to sample Baguio’s veggie bounty at Café by the Ruins.

Unfortunately, it was under renovation at that time so we decided to go Mongolian at the nearby O’ Mai Khan. After two extra spicy servings of their lunch buffet, I felt a slow fiery chill spread around my tongue - a warm welcome indeed for my return to this city of cool.

The last time I was in Baguio was about three years ago. I was with an artist friend when we decided on a whim to take a midnight bus from Manila and go to Baguio for a day to check out the then burgeoning ukay-ukay

BAKASYON GRANDE 61

Botanical Garden

centers around Session Road. Gone are the bigger shops now but there still remains a sprinkling of small ukay stalls with some merged into Session’s row of popular one-of-a-kind curio shops, boutiques, restaurants and fastfood centers. Of course at one end of the road, you can’t miss the biggest center of all, SM – towering over all the others like a mother hen hovering above its offsprings.

From Session Road, we went up to see the Baguio Cathedral- one of the city’s most popular and recognizable landmarks with its pink hues and twin spires towering over the city skyline. I remember feeling my legs turn to lead each time I would try to run up the long concrete stairway of more than a hundred steps.

Now that I am much older and can drive, I say a prayer of thanks for the access road behind the nearby post office building.

It was sueldo weekend, so the best hotels were packed and fully booked. On the way we passed by Camp John Hay’s The Manor Hotel, which now stands on the old site of the Main Club, which used to be an R&R facility for employees of the military and Department of Defense of the United States. This 690-hectare property was opened to the public in 1991 and converted into a recreational complex that boasts of a 5,330-yard, 18-hole, par-68 golf course, one of the best in the country. There is a new golf clubhouse, a restaurant and function rooms that cater to golfers, visitors, and also the local residents of Baguio.

Around the complex abound beautiful gardens, picnic areas, parks, an amphitheater, and hiking trails.

62 BAKASYON GRANDE

Burnham Park

Finally after a few more inquiries, we decided to stay on a relatively new hotel Ridgewood Residences which was not very far from The Mansion, the president’s official Baguio residence. Exhausted but excited nonetheless, we unpacked our bags and hoped for a more relaxing second day. That night a heavy downpour fell on the city. After a little over an hour, it stopped abruptly, letting loose a stinging scent of pine that pricked far deeper than expected. Ahem.

The next day, I went straight to the heart of the city – Burnham Park. This may have been the place where I rode and rowed my first boat. So named after the city’s master planner Daniel Burnham, its man-made lagoon is the site of many a child’s boating excursions, of family and friends, and of lovers, but of course.

The colors are much brighter now, not just because of the boats but also due to the abundance of flowers that enclose the park, lending a sense of family for visitors and locals alike whom I presumed, were fellow returnees like me. On my way out I saw two familiar scenes in the old Burnham I know – a park photographer negotiating a portrait with a young couple, and a middle-aged Caucasian, sitting on a park bench while having his nails cleaned by a manicurista.

And then there is Mines View. Perhaps it’s safe to say that almost all the people who have lived and visited Baguio over the years have had their picture taken at the observation deck overlooking the Benguet mines and Cordillera hills. The park has since been transformed into a baratillo paradise of sorts. Hand woven blankets, silver knickknacks, jewelries, various jams and preserve and everything else that Baguio offers. A few minutes from Mines View Park, we dropped by at Good Shepherd Convent where we bought their original strawberry and ube jams.

Wright Park, which is directly across the main gate of the Mansion, features a rectangular body of water known as the ‘Pool of Pines’ with pine trees and street lights lining both sides of the access road beside the pool. The image is quite a sight to behold not unlike something you’d see in another country.

From the park circle is a walkway that leads to where the ponies are rented out.

I remember riding mine when I was twelve but I‘m guessing my pony didn’t live long enough to remember me.

One of the more enduring images I have of Baguio are the group of Igorots in full authentic regalia posing for a fee at the

entrance of The Baguio Botanical Garden located east of Baguio’s downtown area.

The sight of these old women earning their keep is amusing in as much as it is touching.

The fee expectedly has gone up through the years, but as with all other things Pinoy, there is always room for a good haggling.

It was already late in the afternoon before we finally got around to going to the Baguio Public Market, a must experience for lowlanders like us. Fresh vegetables, strawberry jam, peanut brittle, dried tobacco, an assortment of fresh flowers, meat, Baguio sausages as well as native handicraft such as baskets, brooms, bags, brass, blankets and sweaters, woodcarving, and locally made jewelry, abound in this haven for shoppers.

With our trunk full of souvenirs, we made our way back home to Manila early the next day through Kennon Road making sure to pass by The Lion’s Head Park - the undisputed Baguio landmark synonymous with welcoming as well as bidding people well as they leave this city of pines. I am sure a lot of us Pinoys have their own memories and must see places in Baguio, far more than I can mention in a brief travelogue based on a weekend return visit. All one needs is to remember. And maybe follow that smell.

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64 MANILA TRIPPIN’

By Lito Viriña

It’s back-to-school in the Gulf and we are reminded of all those school jokes back home as to which university is better. Most times the teasing match is between an Atenista and a Lasallista. And it can be very amusing especially when the argument begins to hover around which color is better – Blue! Green! Green! Blue!

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ou hardly hear this kind of repartee, however, between, say, a UP alum and a UST grad. To the big brag about the UP producing a Marcos and a Ninoy, I being a Goldie, can only come out with a juvenile “Talo ka ng lolo ko!” remark, “We produced Jose Rizal!” Of course, I stop myself from adding the fact that our national hero was also an Atenista for fear that this might diminish his being a true Goldie. Come to think of it, Ninoy also studied at the Ateneo.

UST, Ateneo, UP and De La Salle (not in any order of rank here) are the four universities that seem to carry strong currency when job hunting these days. They consistently rank as the top four Philippine universities recognized and respected worldwide.

Filipinos who graduated from these schools should be proud, and I’m sure, want nothing more than to see their children follow and get into their alma mater.

But what about the rest, you ask? Well, they each have their own specializations.

UE for Business and Commerce, UERM for Medicine, CEU for Dentistry and Pharmacy, St. Paul for Nursing and HRM, PNU for

Education, St. Scholastica for Arts, MAPUA for Engineering and Architecture, San Beda for Law, PUP for Technical Courses, PMI for Marine Educations, PATS for Aviation, Araneta University for Veterinary Medicine, and so on and so forth.

recognized as a ‘Pontifical University’ only in 1902 by Pope Leo XIII.

Notorious for encouraging colonized indigenous people to seek self-governance, the Jesuits were expelled over a century later, by the Catholic colonial powers. The Maximo de San Ignacio was surrendered Being four of the oldest universities in the Philippines, the Ateneo, UST, De La Salle and to the Spanish civil authorities, and in 1773 Pope Clement XIV formally dissolved the UP, (not in any order of rank here, again) each has a rich history that unsurprisingly is Society of Jesuits. The Society was reinstated a good chronicle of our country’s own. Here in 1814, and the Jesuits would not return to are some facts about these four universities the Philippines until 1859. If the Jesuits had only behaved, the UST would have had to you may find interesting: give up its title of the oldest university in the Philippines and in Asia to the Ateneo.

The UST and the Ateneo were established during the Spanish Colonial rule. The UP The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo and the de La Salle during the American Tomas was founded on 28 April 1611 and occupation. was originally conceived as a school to prepare young men for the priesthood.

The Ateneo de Manila was founded on 10 December 1859, though the Jesuits opened First called Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario and later renamed Colegio their first school the Colegio de Manila de Santo Tomas in memory of the Dominican (also known as the Colegio Seminario de San Ignacio) in 1595. It was actually the first Theologian, Saint Thomas Aquinas, it was school in the Philippines - older than UST by elevated to the rank of a university in 1645

by Pope Innocent X. Important dignitaries 16 years. have officially visited the UST, among them His Holiness Pope Paul VI, Prince Juan Carlos, In 1623, Philip IV of Spain named the university a ‘Pontifical and Royal University’. now King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul.

UST was only granted the title ‘Royal University’ in 1785 by King Charles III, and

MANILA TRIPPIN’ 65

The UP, established in 1908, is noted for its highly politicized studentry who promote various causes as well as positions on pressing national issues. It has educated some of the country’s most popular political and social leaders, economists, lawyers, doctors, artists and entrepreneurs.

Several Philippine presidents have attended courses in UP either as undergrad or as postgrad students. 30 of the 50 National Artists and 28 of the 29 National Scientists are affiliated with the university. During the pre-martial law years, it was called the Philippines ‘Berkeley’.

The De La Salle College was founded in 1911, when the Brothers of the Christian Schools opened their first school in the Philippines in Ermita. St. John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, is considered the Father of Modern Education and is the Patron of Christian Teachers.

Thus its Education Program was considered its strongest suit. The College became a

University in 1975. The course of choice then at the De La Salle was LiaCom. La Salle, UP, Ateneo and UST (again, no ranking here) - these four universities rule in the Philippines. And if our kids choose to enroll in any of them we should consider ourselves blessed.

An Atenista’s fervent wish is to see his/her children graduate from his alma mater. With honors, if possible. Likewise, the LaSallistas.

As an ordinary middle-class parent, my feeling about the issue is simple. If my kids are smart enough to pass the UPCAT for the course they choose, I’d be happy. If I were rich and can afford to send my kids to the Ateneo, or La Salle, and having passed the UPCAT should they still decide to enroll in the UP, I’d be equally glad.

But maybe, just maybe, if I were an Atenista or the LaSallista, I’d probably have mixed feelings. But what do I know? I’m a Goldie.

66 MANILA TRIPPIN’

NUVO Mike Martin

I did a quick check after walking in. Looks right about the size of Manila’s regular bars; small enough to retain the familiar feeling of coziness as opposed to dance halls, and big enough to not feel suffocating. The place was, in my tiny mind, French chic. Blacks and whites, lot of cubes, maybe the edges were a little rounded but very, very cubist. Avant garde artists could walk in with their hangers-on and not miss a step. The effect was even more striking inside, with the simple stylish highend look design complementing the effect of the moisture filled glass panes. Nothing subdued about it, the place tried to be austere I guess and ended up screaming intellectually enlightened elitist at the top of its lungs. Quite good, since it still stands out; the query waiting for an answer is – would you dare walk in? We’ll that’s what I m here for! I am your Virgil.

Advance scout or something like that.

Pinoys are so hung up on exclusivity. Well, here’s the joint for the elitist and the wannabe crowd. I meant that as a compliment. The clientele on a quick scan; most wore black, not gothic, but English upper class middle school bred black cocktail dresses. Velvet blazers on Armani/Hermes shirts, and of course, designer pants to complete the look. So very Euro; good thing I decided to crash the party. I did a quick scan on myself then, feeling a bit out of place. Mossimo shirt, Versace jeans, and a Tag Heuer F1 Series watch. Perfect. I’m a class B dude in a class A joint.

i

Believe most of us couch potatoes have watched those romantic movies wherein the shots starts with a romantic scene, with the leads in a heavy emotional moment which then pans out to a shot of the entire room and finally outside. The glass panes covered with moisture or rain, rendering those inside opaque. In a haze, the silhouetted forms embrace for a kiss or maybe an intimate whisper. Hard to tell with the vision blurred.

Wondering why this review began with an irrelevant paragraph? I was walking to Starbucks last weekend, having parked my car in the section of the Greenbelt strip after McDonald’s. I wanted to do some blogging while enjoying the hustling bustling crowd, and have the facility of a wi-fi connection. So the strip of joints to traverse begins with Italianni’s and so on and so forth. Wait a damned minute, fogged glass panes? Here? When did this pop here? Oh yeah, it had been here for quite sometime, only I was not romantically attuned during those moments I passed by. It stopped me cold in my tracks, the blog and coffee forgotten, mesmerized by the droplets running down the wide panes.

There were souls inside, and the pull of the mysterious was too much to ignore. What else to do but walk in?

I slide into the bar and order my pet poison, Jack Daniels with whatever they decide to mix it with. The place was as upscale as it looked, and they were stacked to the brim with the good stuff. Yep, guys and gals, the more expensive your bourbon is, the better it tastes. Was the price reasonable? Considering everything, I would say it was fair trade, with beer near a hundred clams and cocktails starting at the one hundred fifty mark. Having nothing to do, and deciding not to risk mingling, I sat and enjoyed eavesdropping on idle chatter and the social dance of the locals. Most of them came from work, so maybe most of the ladies had cars and hence a spare or more of cocktail dresses in their trunks. I didn’t see folks above the thirty-five year old range, so this is a watering hole for the junior executives from the initial feel of it. I got so engrossed in soaking up the place I didn’t get to sample the food!

So it’s your first date. You want to make a definitive statement after dinner. You have taste, refinement, great education and maybe not bucket loads of cash, but you are on your way. Your boss wants to have a drink and asks you if you know a place. Or you recently arrived and friends from school decided to meet up; it’s your treat of course, and where you take them might be the stuff of urban legend for decades to come. This place can set the mood and the impression you’re looking for. While bugging the living hell out of those unprepared.

For braggadocio and one unbelievably distracting fun evening, five stars!

Stepping out of the proverbial ‘kabayan box’ beyond Pinoy cafeterias and videoke

It’s the sport of the affluent set, an excuse to wear cute plaids and ride around in a cart around the city’s most well manicured greens. Pinay About Town Dawn Almario finds out that there’s more to golf, than just posing like Tiger Woods.

I

PINOY ABOUT TOWN 67

Swinging it on the greens

By Dawn Almario

Photographer: Paul Cowan • Agency: Dreamstime .com

don’t know what possessed me to go to the greens at eight in the morning and act like Tiger Woods in the Driving Range of Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Well, maybe because I needed to accompany my friend who keeps on bugging me to try. Well, it’s easy to pose like Tiger but hitting the ball is another thing. For what seems to be an easy sport turned out to be a scientific study of matter, energy, force and motion. To actually hit the ball on the tee is already a feat and even more so to reach 100 yards. I was not only getting frustrated but also embarrassed that everyone around me seemed to know exactly what they were doing.

I was about to give up and totally forget about this sport when a friendly Japanese golfer approached us and gave us amazing tips on how to swing and hit it right. Maybe he was just friendly. Maybe he thought we were a budding ‘Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods team’. But it was more likely that he just couldn’t stand watching us faking it any longer! He taught us by showing us - It’s the posture, it’s the knee bend, the right grip, the straight arms, the arc of the swing, the eye on the ball, the focus, the hip swing, the follow thru. In just a short time we were firing straight cannon-shot drives down the fairway. Now, I’m loving it!

It’s not to say that you’re a pro after a few hits, it requires regular practice to perfect the full swing. Not to mention knowing the clubs you use and what it is for, to actually play a Par 3 to begin with after hundreds of swings in the driving range, to measure your handicap and really start playing on different courses. And a good way to start the obsession, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club offers the region’s first and foremost Golf Academy, one of the most-up-to-date in the world managed by qualified PGA (Professional Golfers Association) instructors. Dubai Creek Golf Academy caters to both complete beginners as well as more experienced ones where you can choose golf lessons to suit your needs: Individual Lessons, a 30-minute one-on-one private golf lesson with a PGA qualified instructor. A perfect way to target individual areas of your game and is ideal for those wanting to develop better general technique or fine-tune their skills. (AED160 non-member, AED150 UGA - United Golf

Association member, AED135 DCGYC - Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club - member) One Month Program, an ideal introductory package that is more for the beginner wishing to learn the basic fundamentals whilst enjoying the fun and social side of the game. A 4-week x 30-minute individual golf lessons with unlimited range balls and free equipment use (AED1,025 nonmember, AED950 UGA member) Three Month Program, designed for all levels from beginner to the more seasoned player, a comprehensive program that will help develop and enhance your game, 10x30 minute individual lessons, unlimited range balls, free use of equipment. (AED2,495 non-member, AED2,395 UGA member) Group Lesson Package, a fun and relaxed way of learning the game in the company of your friends, 4 x 1 hour lessons (1 hour per week), free equipment use and range balls on the day of the lesson. (AED500 ea – 3 pax, AED450 ea – 4 pax, AED400 ea – 5 pax) Creek Kids – Juniors, this is for the budding professionals to take them through their first steps in the game, covering the basic fundamentals of full swing, pitching, chipping, sand play and putting. (AED600 ea – ages 4 – 7) And if this is not enough and you’re a more serious golfer, there is an Annual Academy Membership where you can practice anytime during the course of 12 months. A full use of all the Academy facilities from driving range, putting and chipping greens, 9-hole Par 3 course, 12 x 30 minute individual lessons, discounts on shops and restaurants in the Club.

(AED7,500 single plus child under 14 years, AED9,995 family plus children under 14 years).

And after the greens, you can even relax more at the Clubhouse where you can pamper yourself with state-of-the-art Golf equipments - from complete sets of Irons, new designs of Woods and Putting Wedges, cool new get-ups, shoes, visors and gloves at the Pro shops. Sip your favorite cold mocha and chat for some more with your golf buddies overlooking the relaxing greens in the heart of the busy city life of Deira.

68 FILIPINISMS

Onli In Da Pilipins (pronounced as is) 1. n. a phrase used to define anything or anyone that only exists anywhere in the 7,107 islands of the Philippines || 2. adj. a phrase used to describe a Pinas episode or a Pinoy persona so rare one would never find anywhere else in the WWW (whole, wide world). It merits a documentation of some sort. By Aby Yap Simply put, it is a celebration of the varied Filipino idiosyncracies that add more to our already crazy and colorful culture.

Some tales are funny, others weird. Most are heart-warming. Few are blood-boiling.

But a concoction of all these ingredients is what dishes up the Philippines as quite an exciting country to live in, and just like our countless telenovelas, a fascinating show to watch out for.

actually have a repertoire of popular dance and song genres. From the oldies’ “Chacha,” the ethnic “Dayang-Dayang,” local hits “Nanggigigil Kami“ and “Jumbo Hotdog” to international favorites like the “YMCA” and “In the Navy,” Queen’s “Radio Gaga,” Black Eyed Peas’ “Bebot,” Sister Act’s “I Will Follow You” and “Hail Holy Queen,” the “Haruhi” dance and even the Algorithm March famous in Japan.

The Dancing Inmates

But why would the society’s so-called convicted people suddenly dance their cares or crimes away? The most interesting part of the story is that the performances have not been made in honor of a visiting VIP or one form of punishment.

Byron Garcia, Cebu provincial consultant on security and the man behind the Dancing Inmates’ success, said in an interview that these dances are a substitute for the usual daily exercise, which is part of their rehabilitation program. He just thought of a new scheme that would be entertaining and therapeutic at the same time.

The 1,500 orange-clad inmates dancing in sync ala-Michael Jackson to the “Thriller” beat with matching short skit and coffin props have entertained almost the entire world. Even international media agencies like CNN and ABC produced a story about the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center phenomenon. So if you have not seen or heard of them, then you must be living in another planet (say “hi” to Marvin the Martian for me).

Just kidding, you can still watch them online. Simply go to www.youtube.com and search the “dancing inmates” to catch a glimpse of the Philippines’ modern dance heroes. As of writing, the “Thriller” video has nearly six million views, with almost 20,000 ratings and over 30,000 votes as a favorite.

Chances are, you will be glued to the monitor for some time looking at the other dance videos of the troupe as well.

Yes, it is not only zombie-dancing that the inmates have exceptionally mastered. They

For the Dancing Inmates to receive such recognition is an irony, to say the least.

Once, they were the people who have been kept away from judging eyes. Now, they are the most sought after on the Internet. For most people, they are an unusual source of comic relief. But for Filipinos worldwide, they bring pride and respect. Since they set an example of what can be achieved if we all sway passionately to the same beat, some envious Pinoys could not help but comment, “Parang ang saya sa kulungan.” (It seems enjoyable to be in jail.)

The Bonded Bloggers Filipinos have a penchant to call for anyone deemed guilty of evil acts to resign from his/ her position. Thus we have the People Power’s EDSA Revolution, which exiled Macoy to Hawaii for the rest of his remaining life, the EDSA Dos, which ousted Erap leading to his imprisonment for, plunder charges and the failed EDSA Tres with an unruly mob hollering at GMA to

step down from Malacanang.

The Filipino blogging community had just its first kind of revolution and succeeded, proving still the classic adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” In these Internet times, the “pen” would be the “blog.” And so, Malu Fernandez resigned.

Malu who? This otherwise, lifestyle writer of Manila Standard and People Asia would have remained comfortable in her niche if not for the article she wrote on People Asia’s June 2007 issue. With the article titled “From Boracay to Greece,” she recounted her experience flying on Emirates Airlines’ economy class and making a stop-over in Dubai, where she encountered OFW’s. She wrote how she wanted to slash her wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with them, smelling of Charlie and Axe colognes, which evaporated her expensive Jo Malone perfume into thin air. She was also annoyed at one passenger for asking if she was also a domestic helper.

These remarks found their way to the Internet. Filipino bloggers around the world wrote in defense of the OFWs. They also criticized Fernandez for her insensitivity.

Receiving negative e-mail about the article, Fernandez retorted in her column that it was supposedly humorous and tongue-incheek (word for the day) as her elitist friends thought. She attributed some readers’ misunderstanding of what she wrote to the difference in their socioeconomic backgrounds.

This only further provoked the ire of the bloggers, uniting them to deal with the issue through a number of ways: e-mailing Manila Standard and People Asia to fire Fernandez, boycotting these reading materials, writing about the issue and spreading it to everyone. One blog even has a special section for OFW’s comments, numbering to more than a thousand now.

On August 23, Fernandez issued a public apology. She also resigned from Manila Standard and People Asia to end the case.

Aside from being a topic of several hate blogs, she said she started receiving death threats and personal insults.

A testimony to the power of the Filipino Blogging CommUNITY at work.

If you tell me, I forget.

If you show me, I remember.

If you let me do it, I understand...

70 FILIPINISMS

The Annie B.(Batobalani) Chronicles

The adventures and misadventures of a ‘not so average’ Pinay trying to make it in the cosmopolitan city of Dubai.

NNA

MADO VOGUEY

Dancin’

Diva-licious “Mainit. Walang magawa. Walang mapuntahan. Kaya magsayaw na lang tayo!” That’s a popular line from “Temptation Island”, one of my old time favorites movies from the 80s. It’s a story of four beauty queen wannabees that get trapped in a far away island and make ends meet in order to survive their faithful experience. I am always reminded of this scene whenever I feel bored and restless. This calls for my most favoritest thing in the world – dance!

I have been the Disco Queen since my childhood days. Before even taking my first holy communion, I already wowed my classmates with my breathe-taking performance of “Xanadu” during our Linggo Ng Wika program. I haven’t reached puberty yet but I was already our section’s star gyrating to Madonna’s “Like A Virgin”. At fourteen, I made my first television appearance as a contestant of the “Body Dancer” contest. We made it to the semifinals only. But that didn’t stop me from dancing.

Our principal appointed me as the school’s official Maribeth Bichara, or cornyographer. During college, I auditioned to be a cheerleader but didn’t made it coz I lacked a background in ballet and gymnastics. So much for my being sirkera – I thought all those years of imitating Alma Moreno in

“Loveliness” would be my ticket to superstardom. But I guess my being chubby then was going to be problem – none of the boys could lift me.

So to throwing me in the air and catching me with one hand is out of the question.

Still, my love for dancing didn’t die. During weekends my classmate would treat us to the hippest discos around town - from Q.C. to Makati. From Heartbeat, Jaloux, Equinox and all the way to Pulse Disco, you can catch me on top of the ledge dancing in unison with my friends to “Dying Inside” and “Extacy, X-tano!” I’d be up in my element and bring the house down until closing time. Yes, dancing is my life – afterall I wouldn’t be named Annie B. for nothing huh?

So bored with nothing to do on a summertime here in Dubai, and with Ramadan shortly coming our way, my galpals decided to go clubbing one Thursday night to paint the town pink. Before the streak of midnight, we hit Chi-CHI upon my boss’ highly reccommendation. At the club’s entrance, we were rejected and told that it was “for couples” only. I counted our group – me, Nerie, Daisy and Ruby. “But we’re four!!!” I shouted at the bouncer. “C-O-U-P-L-E-S O-N-L-Y!!! He spelled back at us. I tried my best to keep my cold. “Heller!!! We are four – a multiple of two!!! Simple mathematics, my friend!!!”

FILIPINISMS 71

BODY LANGUAG E

EY”

“HAPEE

!

P HAH-SU! HIRA

IYAK...”

EN NIYAK, M E M A ’S E

“SH

S ITU!

LOVELINES

It was too late when Ruby told me that couples meant a man and a woman as a pair. Thanks God we didn’t loose our hopes up high. Minutes later, four cute dudes asked us if we wanted to go inside the club with them – that all eight of us come as a couple. “Lord, thank you for answering our prayers!!!” It was truly a blessing in the sky – not only did we enter the club for free, but we had instant dates as well!!! Ganda, Lord!!!

all my steps with flying high colors. The blondie wiggled her booty and revealed her T-back. The crowd cheered. “Ah ganon pala ang labanan ha?”

I shaked my shoulder and added a Maricel Soriano move – rotating my hips while removing my jacket and tossing it to the crowd – unfortunately, 20 Dirhams of loose coins also burst out in the air from my jacket’s pocket – but still, the crowd went wild! Bongga-wagi!!!

So inside the club, we immediately hit the dance floor. I danced with Ramy – since he seemed to be coolest among their group – coz he wore his shirt’s collar standing. Nerie danced with George - who’s a secret member of the DPWH (Department of Public Works and High Waist – yikes!), Daisy with Malek - who seemed to forgot to cut his more-thanfive-inches beard, and Ruby was left with Wissam – who wore white socks with black pants and black leather shoes.

Then the blonde pulled Ramy to the center of the floor and did the Lambada with him – “Ang laswa!!!” – but the crowd was roaring!!! So without missing any beat, I took a dive and went inside Ramy and the blonde’s spreadopen legs – ay, nagwala lalo ang mga utaw!!!

Ramy was so impressed with my dancing skills – I can really could tell.

Everytime I changed routines he would open his mouth and follow my dance steps. I did the Rogger Rabbit, the Running Man, the Scissors and the classic Moonwalk to the tune of The Pussycat Doll’s “Don’t Cha” while lipsinking the lyrics. I was hot!!! For sure the other girls in the dance floor envied me. As I prepared myself to do a double turn, this agua oxenada blondie girl from the other side of the dance floor – who looks like she applied five bottles of mascara and triple false eyelashes and a looks-alike of Zeny Zabala – all of a suddenly appeared between me and my dancing partner. The nerves of this chick she tried to steel Ramy from me! So I challenged her to a showdown – to see who’s the real diva and queen of the dance floor. We agreed that if she wins, she can have my partner all to herselves BUT if I win - she will pay for my iced tea.

So the crowd parted ways and gave us space in the dance floor. I thought of Jessica Alba in “Honey”. I must keep my confident so that I can do

Then I reached for Ramy’s arm and as he pulled me up, I made a wave with my body – or body language (hitsura ng macho dancer sa Chicos!!!) then I pushed Ramy away (pa-effect lang) and faced the blondie head on with my strutting arms (mala-Aga Muhlach in Bagets) – before she could even move I proceeded to do my pang-Japan routine mala-Aldeguer sisters: Kick, ball change, kick, ball change, step, jump, and end with a split – sabay point kay blondie! She froze…I think she got stage fright because for five seconds she didn’t move. Or maybe she had too much Bull Frogs already because as she tried to make a step, she broke a heel from one of her shoes. Ay, minus 500 points ang lola mo! Nag-walk out?!!!

So the crowd cheered for me – clearly I was the winner. The crowd gathered around me and Ramy and gave me a stand-in oblation. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and we danced the swing. Later on, the DJ played my national anthem, Abba’s “Dancing Queen” so me and my galpals took on the dance floor and danced on cloud nine.

“You are the dancing queen…young and sweet, only seveteeeeeeen….”

There is a reason why they call me Annie B, you know. ;-)

72 FILIPINISMS

Baka nakalimutan mo na ang iyong sariling wika Magaling nga tayo sa Ingles – lalo naman sa ating sariling wika! Heto, isang paalala lang mula sa WWW, kung nakalimot ka na sa mga kahulugan ng mga salitang ito. Enjoy!

Abuloy - bayad sa nahigop na kape at nanguyang biskwit sa nilamayang sakla Akala - alam na alam daw Aginaldo - inaasahan na makukuha sa araw ng Pasko na mas okay sana kung pera na lang Bakasyon - sandaliang pahinga sa trabahong hingal lang ang pahinga Bakit - tanong na laging mahirap masagot Bakya - tsinelas na may takong Baga - lutuan ng mga hindi makabili ng microwave Bagoong - masarap na ulam ng mga walang maiulam Baldado - hindi mamamatay-matay na mukhang hindi na mabubuhay Bale - suweldong inutang Kaaway - ikli ng ‘kaibigan na Inayawan.’

Kababata - dating gelpren na may ibang boypren Kabayo - hayop na sinasakyan ng kalesa.

Kalbo - gupit ng buhok na korteng itlog Dilim - liwanag na maitim Gipit - kalagayan ng tao na suki na ng sanglaan Ha - sagot ng nagbibingi-bingihan Halakhak - tawang bukang-buka ang ngala-ngala Handaan - magdamagan na Palakihan ng tiyan

Handog - bigay na laging may kapalit Hipo - haplos na may malisya.

Hudas - tapat na manloloko Imposible - pagtaas ng unano Insulto - walang hiyang biro Ita - negrong Pinoy La - ikli ng ‘lalalalala’ sa kinakantang hindi maalala Langaw - kulisap na bangung-bango sa amoy ng basura Ma - tawag sa gelpren na mukhang nanay na Mama - tawag sa sosyal na ina.

Mano - kaugaliang Pinoy na nakapupudpod ng noo.

Mantika - katas ng piniritong taba.

Maybahay - asawang utusan sa bahay.

Nakaw - pagkuha ng walang pasabing ‘akin na lang ito.’

Nobya - gelpren na laking probinsya Ngalngal - iyak ng walang ipen Ngisi - tawang tulo-laway Ngiti - tawang labas ipen.

Paaralan - dito itinuturo kung ano, alin o sino ang mapipiling bobo Panata - dasal na nakatataba ng tuhod Sabon - mabangong bagay na ipinapahid sa mabahong katawan Sakristan - utusan ng pari Sampal - haplos na nakatitigas ng mukha Tamad - taong hindi napapagod sa pahinga

The view from your regular Juan dela Cruz on the street 73

Prove your worth Away from our country, from our national traditions, hopes and dreams, we Filipinos must do what we can to prove our worth and make ourselves useful as members of the community. Loyalty to the Philippines is one of the traits that must be strong and active inside us. As a Filipino, I will continue to improve myself with the belief that one can always do things better.

ERALD BARRO

Usapang Kanto

Paano mo

maiaangat ang pinoy?

By Jonie Jose

Promote our culture Good values By being a good example to others, at work and wherever you, and in any given situation. We should always give the best that we can for people to see what Filipinos are worth and capable of.

Most of all, we should be trustworthy and observe the good values and traits, which we were born with. It’s in our blood; let’s keep it going!

CARLOS JULIAN

Katangiang Pinoy Maiaangat ko ang pagiging Pinoy sa pagpapakilala ng ating mga bukod tanging katangian at kabutihang asal. Katulad ng paggalang natin sa mga nakatatanda, pagiging masayahin, masikap at may pananampalataya sa Diyos gaano man kahirap ang buhay.

JOEL PAZ

I believe that nothing is more uplifting than seeing someone promoting the rich Filipino culture. We should be proud of being a Filipino wherever we are. Doing good at all times. Observing honesty in everything we say or do. Preserving Filipino culture even in a foreign land. As a worker, perform tasks diligently and with concern. Promote good governance, honesty and accountability of our government civil servants from the highest to the lowest position. Patronize Filipino products. Promote tourism in the Philippines.

KAREN LUALHATI

Be a good example I can uplift my fellow Filipinos’ dignity by setting a good example. Being watchful with my words, professional in my work and always thinking about the right thing for everybody’s the welfare - «sa isip, sa puso, sa salita at sa gawa».

ELLA VALONDO

Don’t give up I would not let my character and integrity be overpowered by foreign culture. I admire different cultures, however, I will never give up Filipino traditions, beliefs and moral values instilled within me by my parents.

VANESSA BERNARDO

Positive traits By simply embracing our own culture, we could uplift Filipinos in every part of the world. Filipinos have great values. We are best known for being honest, hardworking, diligent, creative and hospitable among our many other positive traits.

PAOLO MANGUBAT

Be true to yourself By being myself and doing the right thing without compromising my principles. I don’t see any other way to uplift my being a Filipino other than to simply be a true Filipino.

CHARITESS CANOG

ILLUSTRADO MODEL SEARCH

ARE YOU THE NEXT FACE OF ILLUSTRADO MAGAZINE?

Illustrado is looking for models, both males and females of all ages.

Are you a photogenic Pinoy with a sparkling personality that shines through? Do you love being in front of the camera?

Send your close-up and full body picture, as well as your contact details to models@illustrado.net You just might have what it takes to be part of our next issue.

CELEBRATING PINOY CHARM FACE OF THE MONTH

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DARK

&

DASHING Dache de Leon Tall, dark and handsome – three words that describe Illustrado’s Face of the Month, Jourdache ‘Dache’ de Leon. With his sporty physique, and dusky Asian charm shy and soft-spoken Dache was an active model in the Manila fashion scene and a cabin crew for the Philippine national carrier PAL, before he eventually transferred to the emirates, to be, as he says, with the love of his life (sorry ladies, he’s taken).

A computer graduate from La Salle’s College of Saint Benilde, Dache originally

hails from Baguio. He loves to travel and is a self-confessed hopeless beach buff who lives for swimming, surfing and diving.

When not in the water, Dache enjoys the fave Pinoy sport of basketball and takes pleasure in simply being in the outdoors.

Endearingly modest, Dache sums up the best things in life - “I love eating pizza. I’d like to retire early, and surf – just surf ….”

76 MANILA’S HOT RELEASES

By Jan La’O

university.net The first in the country to offer a one-of-a-kind mobile solution. Sending your photos from your cellular phones, PDAs and computers to your website has never been this easy. Satisfy your urge in uploading and viewing your photos. Maintain your photo diary through your mobile phone. Share it with millions of people around the globe!

eskwela.com Eskwela is a social directory for Filipino high school and college alumni (and yes, they also have companies!). Find old classmates or even colleagues. It is a new web 2.0 application built by Filipinos for Filipinos in the Philippines.

showbizandstyle.inquirer. net/you/ voty.org Voice Of The Youth Network is a nongovernment, non-partisan, non-profit youth organization driven by the youth to empower and foster a sense of volunteerism, leadership, participation and social entrepreneurship through the innovative use of technology and media, creating meaningful experiences for the youth in the Philippines.

For the travel buzzed yuppies!

Travellers Journal Boracay - Matt Deegan A concept by musician Matt Deegan which tells travellers’ tales through music and photographs with genuine sounds from the street, nature and local dialogue. The first in a series of albums telling stories from travellers all around the world. The album is split into three musical genres; drum & bass, house, and chillout. These boundaries overlap so Boracay flows smoothly from one genre to the next.

For the genuine opm hungry musicphiles!

I Am M.E. - Miguel Escueta He’s the second OPM contract artist of MCA after the serendipitously amazing Julianne. No stranger in the music scene, having established himself in Acoustic Break competition in 2003 where he won first runnerup. As evidenced by “Falling Away,” his album showcases easy listening pop/rock music akin to the likes of Dashboard Confessional, James Morrison and Lifehouse, among others. But the element in his music that Miguel is proudest of is the lyrics, for he believes that lyrics are the heart of every song and everything else evolves from that.

YOU is inquirer.net’s website for the interactive youth, made for and by the youth themselves.

Sub links are...Super! (style, urban living, pop culture, entertainment, and recreation), 2bU! (lifestyle), Blog Addicts (blog community), Expressions (opinions, and essays), Vid & Vibe (radio, silver screen, and tv), E-Life (games and gadgets), Anime Culture (anime and manga), Republic of Comics (comic books), and Barkada Scene (where to go and what to do).

For the world music fans with a pinoy twist!

Guarana Musica Brasileira - Eileen Sison Enough of the Bossa barrage, let’s move on to another Brazilian beat. Bossa Nova’s musical antecedent, from which it takes much of its rhythmic components, is the national music of Brazil, the Samba. Eileen Sison has, for over several years, made Brazilian music and culture her raison d’etre’ . She has lived it, breathed it, sung it and danced it. Now, with the release of her new album, we shall all be treated to a delightful blend of musical expressions from Brazil. Soft, sensuous, sultry and syncopated!

For the kids with a mission!

Oldies But Kiddies - Mak And The Dudes Makisig Morales, Jairus Aquino, Robert Villar, Kyle Balili, and Rhap Salazar are ready to become the next hottest singing group. The only kiddie singing group to storm the music scene is now known as Mak & The Dudes. As the CD title implies, it is comprised of tunes from yesteryears revived by Mak and his newly formed gang of the Kapamilya network’s famous child stars. What makes the album unique is the concept of having young kids singing songs that became popular in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

Books available at Powerbooks, Phils. www.powerbooks.com.pH CDs available at Tower Records Phils. www.Tower-records.ph

MANILA’S HOT RELEASES 77

Batanes: Mystical Islands of the Philippines

Living Landscapes and Cultural Landmarks, World Heritages Sites in the Philippines

by Augusto F. Villalon and Bona Elisa O. Resurreccion Of the 7,107 islands in the Philippine archipelago, ten make up the province of Batanes. The Batanes Islands are those magical, usually forgotten flecks of land off the northern tip of the Philippines that we have always thought lie at the edge of our world. The islands that form the Batanes Archipelago are the Filipino’s idea of land’s end. But the archipelago stretches farther than that. These islands are beyond expectation, beyond anything culturally and geographically familiar to the Filipino. The book attempts to capture the quintessence of a faraway land and the people who call it home. It features photography by Neal Oshima and Noli Gabilo.

by Augusto F. Villalon Some of the Philippines’ most beautiful World Heritage Sites—those cited by the UNESCO as deserving of preservation as world treasures—are presented in this book, written by heritage preservation advocate and architect Augusto Villalon.

The book document sites such as the historic town of Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan; Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, Palawan; Rice Terraces of the Philippines Cordilleras; and the Baroque churches of the Philippines, which includes Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church in Miag-ao, Iloilo; Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion Church in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur; San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila; and the San Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.

Filipinas

Inside the Southeast Asian Kitchen

by Isa Lorenzo What do physician to the indigenous peoples Sister Eva Maamo, Far Eastern University chair Lourdes Montinola, pediatrician Dra. Fe del Mundo and writer Gilda Cordero Fernando all have in common? They are either mothers, teachers, writers, artists, jurists, doctors, diplomats, civic workers, and public servants who have shaped their professions and communities—and who have helped to create the cultural fabric of their times. They are also the subject of a new book called Filipinas, which compiles portrait shots of these women taken by photographer Isa Lorenzo. The book is an offshoot of the same-titled exhibit mounted at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2006. It was also exhibited at the Unesco headquarters in Paris to mark the International Women’s Day this year.

by Tan Su-Lyn If you could travel the entire Southeast Asia, what would you do? Would you like to taste country’s specialty dish? Of course you would.

But until then, you can try them at home with the help of Inside the Southeast Asian Kitchen, a coffeetable book that features recipes from 10 Asean members. From the Philippines, the recipe for bringhe (smooth coconut glutinous rice with chicken) is featured, written by food expert Michaela Fenix, who also delves into the history of Filipino cuisine.

I know What To Do

Pinoy Success Handbook

by Jeffrey ‘Ximo’ Ramos

So you want to be successful – but do you know what to do? Author Jeffrey Ximo Ramos unlocks the secrets to achievement in his substantial motivational tome ‘I Know What To Do’. Lifted from his personal learnings from the challenges and triumphs of living in the United Arad Emirates, the book is packed with useful tips and fundamental truths that can help you accomplish your dreams. It is divided into three main sections – How to be successful, how to maintain success and how not to get corrupted by success. With its words of wisdom, not to mention the writers’ interestingly casual style and wit, the book promises to be a veritable ‘success handbook’ one would eagerly be reaching for, from time to time.

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