The Global Filipino Magazine | Vol 3 Issue 6

Joella Chrissa Favor

Filipina entrepreneur in Dubai on a mission to reduce plastic pollution

Filipina author inspires readers through adversities and hardships she faced throughout career

How a private nurse for a local family in UAE turns to award-winning vlogger

Filipino fulfills dream as theatre actor in New York

Florence Go

Em Serrano

Clark Mantilla

A story of a Filipino business guru who is making waves in UAE - Marichu Velez

Former maintenance technician now successful restauranteur in Dubai - Bryan Valencia Pantaleon

EDITORIAL BOARD

GABRIEL JOHN RIMANDO

BRYAN ANGELO DUMAG

ALLAN CARAGAO

JONATHAN DUMAS

RAYMART PATULOT

Filipina author inspires readers through adversities and hardships she faced throughout career - Florence Go

‘It’s not too late to be what you might have been’ -Danny T. Cordero

Filipina entrepreneur in Dubai on a mission to reduce plastic pollution - Joella Chrissa Favor

Former food runner now head barista and freelance model in Dubai - Jacob Mariano

Meet this 10-year-old Filipino boy beating swimming records in UAE - Edward Dylan Plaza

How a private nurse for a local family in UAE turns to award-winning vlogger -Em Serrano

Filipino fulfills dream as theatre actor in New YorkClark Mantilla

Thousands of Filipino Institute students, alumni join annual sports fest

Marichu Velez

Real estate investment and leasing have been the primary resources of Marichu Velez›s family. At a young age, she has already been involved in their real estate business in the investment and leasing sectors of both residential and commercial properties.

She recalled her mother being a hard-working and serious woman. During her time, she would invest in businesses in Manila, and a few commercial properties in Carriedo and Binondo. Her mother had a good relationship with the retail sector and housed a few grocery stores in the locale. Meanwhile, her father is of Chinese-Spanish descent and has inherited most of his fortune from his Spanish-speaking parents.

Raised in a Spanish-speaking household where self-expression and interdependence were extremely valued, she remembered assisting in one of her parents’ grocery stores at the cashier when she was young, however, her initial love is still in real estate.

Her involvement in business at a young age made her a successful businesswoman today.

Currently, Marichu is an investor at Bloomrose Sky Reliance Properties and Sky Reliance Business Concierge which are all duly registered in Dubai.

“It is a positive, goal and family-oriented business based on relationships that develop over time through interactions between the network my children have established and the valuable relationships we keep within our niche clientele and our team,” she said.

She started traveling when she was in her 20s for leisure and business with her sister. She went back to the Philippines to take care of their real estate investment business with her parents in the business and leasing sectors.

Her trips to Dubai became more frequent as her son, the CEO of Sky Reliance, a leading travel, and business concierge got more mature. The frequency of her travel was a combination of the exhilaration of the city’s dream shopping destination prowess, where luxury goods are cheaper than anywhere in South East Asia. More specifically, Marichu serves as a guiding torch to her son.

“The highlight I believe was when I realized I was the glue to my children’s sanities, forwardthinking, progress, and growth and they found that passion in Dubai,” she said.

She said that the satisfaction she gets from living in Dubai is she’s able to coach her son and daughter, who are carving their names in the business world in the region.

When asked about her struggle, the entrepreneur said it was during the Covid19 pandemic when his son was looking forward to spearheading a passion project on his own in which she was to invest, but due to repercussions back then, it was difficult to find the momentum to stimulate network building for the obvious global restrictions at that time.

“I always looked up to my faith and always believed

that God is steering this wheel called life for us because he also gives us so much more than we can ever imagine. It may be unrecognizable in the beginning but you will realize as soon you reap the fruits of patience, hard work, and faith,” she said.

“In business, work, and career choices, always know that it will take hard work, the ability to be street smart, the importance of sticking to your faith, keeping your inner circle small and value and exercising kindness and truthfulness even when no one is looking,” she added.

She advised her fellow Filipinos abroad to spend their hard-earned money wisely. She said that hard-earned money that is wasted will never come back as it has to be re-earned triple the time and effort one has exerted initially.

“That is a fact. Always invest in real estate, an appreciating asset that you earn every day from the moment you take over a property. It diversifies your value/portfolio, you have control over it and you can use your equity in different sorts of ways,” she further added.

Bloomrose Sky Reliance is an active member of the UAE’s business community. It provides free advice and consultation in purchasing investments.

Bloomrose Sky Reliance Properties is located in the heart of Dubai with the following numbers 971504632877+ and 97145488140+

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO MAGAZINE

An overseas Filipino worker in Dubai has been named ‘Isaw King’ for one reason: he sells them like hotcakes!

Bryan Valencia Pantaleon sets up the Inihaw King restaurant in Al Rigga Night Market. The kiosk specializes in grilled isaw or chicken intestines. He sells not less than 2,000 sticks a night.

“Katulad ng marami sa atin, sinawaan na rin akong mangamuhan,” the 37year-old, who holds a degree qualifying him to be an industrial electrician, told GMA News Online.

“Pag namamasukan ka kasi, kahit anong sipag mo, hanggang doon lang din ang kikitain mo. Company ang yumayaman,” he said.

Bryan, who hails from Bataan, arrived in Dubai in 2012 on an employment contract and worked as a general maintenance technician. His work included installing electrical lines, air conditioning, carpentry, and plumbing across Dubai.

Bryan Valencia Pantaleon

Former maintenance technician now successful restauranteur in Dubai

He then started freelancing while running a commissary kitchen.

“But as you get older, you’d realize you need to be practical and try other fields. This way, you will learn that comfort and peace are more important,” he said.

Bryan lives with his wife and five-year-old son in Dubai.

His restaurant is among the popular food stalls in the Night Market. It offers everything from grilled chicken head to chicken feet and everything in between like neck, heart, liver, and gizzard, among others, with isaw as the best seller.

“Sa isaw pa lang po, ‘di bumababa ang benta ng 2,000 sticks every day, puwera pa po ‘yung ibang parts,” he added.

“Nilakasan ko lang loob ko sa tulong na din ng mga kaibigan kong nasa food industry. Naging

successful naman, laging sold out every day,” he said.

Early life of an ‘Isaw King’

In a separate interview with The Global Filipino Magazine, he said that he had many dreams and he could not achieve them if he stayed in the Philippines.

He initially worked in Hong Kong and got relocated to various countries in Africa.

“Financially failed lahat yun. Experience at knowledge lang lahat ang na-gain ko, which is okay in the end. Kasi kung hindi ko natutunan lahat ng mga yun, siguro wala ako sa kinalalagyan ko ngayon,” he said.

In Hong Kong, he worked as an electrician and for a logistics company, carrying heavy balikbayan boxes from their clients’ houses to their warehouses.

image credit: supplied

In Africa, Bryan was based in the western part of Ghana, but his then company assigned him to different parts of the region. He started by working as an electrician, then was promoted to general maintenance technician until he became the warranty department working supervisor.

Duped by fellow ‘Kabayan’

One of the major struggles he faced during his stay abroad is getting duped by his own countrymen who was his business partner for a technical service start-up.

He did not spend a vacation in the Philippines for eight years because he was struggling with his business.

“Naloko ako ng naging partner ko, kabayan din. Na-

zero talaga ako noon, nagka-utang utang, walang maibayad sa house rent, may time na walang pang-kain. Pati parents ko sa Pinas hindi ko na kinakausap sa sobreng stress ko,” he said, adding that he also lost his self-confidence during those darkest times of his life.

He is thankful for his wife who always got his back.

Bryan advised his fellow Filipinos abroad who are also facing difficulties in life to continue fighting.

“Laban lang. Tiwala sa Diyos at sa sarili. Huwag manglalamang sa kapwa. Be smart, think twice before making any decision. Mamili mabuti ng partner na hindi ka iiwan through thick and thin, lalo na dito sa Dubai na maraming nabuong pamilya at madami ding nasira,” he said.

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO

Florence

ADubai-based Filipina writer who has 20 years of experience in the field of media has very recently launched her second book at the Sharjah International Book Fair, a cultural extravaganza that celebrates the world›s culture by hosting distinguished authors, and intellectuals, among others.

Florence Go aims to inspire many through the adversities and hardships she has faced throughout her career.

With her latest book ‘A-Z TIPS How to Heal a Broken Heart,’ she wants to guide her reader on moving forward, making peace a priority, and leading a new life.

“Unlike in TV shows and movies, there is no fastforwarding in real life when you are going through pain and romantic heartbreak. But there are ways how you can get over it. Yes, it’s not easy. Indeed it is a lot of work, but once you overcome it, you learn, you grow, and you become stronger. It takes a lot of courage but it’s worth it. The next morning when you wake up, you will just laugh it off as if nothing happened. Just follow the A-Z Tips How to Heal a Broken Heart and you will be okay,” she told The Global Filipino Magazine.

Florence has worked on several TV channels in the Philippines, India, and UAE. She worked back home for eight years in the TV industry as a talent, news writer, and segment producer; while in India, she worked for a project in a cable network as a producer and editing manager; and 12 years in Dubai.

Her first book ‘12 Years Beyond Love and Despair’ is a collection of poetry and prose that takes readers through a journey of self-discovery, of intrinsically accepting the imperfections of life, of coming to terms with its bitter surprises, and of the essence of forgiveness in moving forward.

“This book is about finding the courage to be selfless and the audacity to hope and dream again,” she explained further.

Despite having published two books, Florence said writing could sometimes be challenging.

“I think most authors’ main challenge is writer’s block, there was a time that I felt it was difficult to write but I always said I have to deal with it and find a solution especially when I was eager to complete it, by taking rest and stop writing for a moment, more reading and think of inspiration and believing that I have a goal to achieve,” she said.

“Second, the competition is tight these days. But instead of thinking that I won’t sell my book, I embrace it and be positive and lastly, perfectionism, use of words, ideas, and mostly during the final design of the book cover which was tough. And again, having a positive outlook helped me overcome this fear. And wait for the readers’ review and feedback and that’s the only time I can refurbish my work again,” she added.

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO MAGAZINE

Danny T. Cordero

‘It’s not too late to be what you might have been’

ADubai-based fitness coach has recently raised the Philippine flag at the recently concluded UCI Gran Fondo World Championship in Italy as the lone Filipino cyclist.

Danny T. Cordero, 50, joined this year’s championship after finishing in the top 20 percent of his age group, 54 50, in the UAE.

This year’s UCI Gran Fondo World Championships had its final event with a 144km granfondo (big ride) and 86km mediofondo (one-day race) with start and finish in the city centre of Trento, but with Monte Bondone (2,100m) as the major challenge which had to be done one and a half time during the mediofondo and two and a half times during the granfondo, an elevation of respectively 2,200 and 3,900m.

The former bodybuilding enthusiast in the Philippines, who had previously joined Mr. Philippines and Mr. Universe twice, told The Global Filipino Magazine that he set this goal four years ago.

“As a beginner cyclist, it was not easy. You have to train hard,” he said, adding that two years after engaging into cycling, he was qualified for the 2021 championship; however, Covid19 happened.

The strong-willed Filipino fitness coach tried his luck again this year and successfully qualified for the world championship.

Preparation

Danny had to undergo a six-month rigorous training from February to August by conquering Jebel Jais and Jebel Hafeet, two of the highest and steepest mountains in the region, including the mountains of Khorfakan and Kalba.

He understood that coursing through Monte Bondone in Italy was like coursing two Burj Khalifas, the world’s tallest skyscraper.

“So, even during summer, I have to go to the mountain even on weekends,” Danny, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing holder in the Philippines, said.

“Jebel Jais is the highest mountain in the UAE. Its total distance is 20 km, but it’s only a %6 gradient vs. the mountain in Italy of %12 8,” he said.

“So, it’s double the difficulty of the Jebel Jais, but the elevation and gradient equal Jebel Hafeet. But Jebel Hafeet is only 10 km, so you have to combine two Jebel Hafeet, which is equivalent to the mountain in Italy,” he explained.

Early life and living in Dubai

When Danny quit competing in bodybuilding, he started his fitness training regimen called Spark, which develops 15 components of fitness, including reverse aging through fitness and basic exercises.

Apart from cycling, he also competed in various endurance sports, including running, setting himself to train for Ironman, Olympic distance triathlons, and 3X 70.3 Ironman races in UAE and Bahrain, to name a few.

While in Dubai, Danny worked as a hotel health club and recreation manager, then became part of the biggest fitness facility in Dubai, wherein he received accolades, such as top personal trainer and awarded as one of the best personal trainers. He now works as a private coach/freelance personal trainer to promote his advocacy by being physically fit and healthy.

“I would like everyone to realize that we only have 1 life, that there’s no such thing as “Practice Life!” This is it! Time before you know it, it’s gone. Set EPIC goals, Goals that will give you goosebumps & work hard to achieve them! Treat every single day as miracle! As a blessing! Do what you can with what you have,” he said.

“Give yourself a chance! To be great! To achieve great things! In sports or in Life! Shine! By doing so, you might inspire someone to do the same. Be the light,” he added.

“I am 50 years old. For everyone including +50 Remember it’s not too late to be what you might have been!” he further added.

GLOBAL FILIPINO MAGAZINE

GLOBAL FILIPINO MAGAZINE

Joella Chrissa Favor

Filipina entrepreneur in Dubai on a mission to reduce plastic pollution

FILIPINO MAGAZINE

They say that road of life takes an unexpected turn, and you have no choice but to follow it to end up in the place you›re supposed to be. This was the case of Joella Chrissa Favor, a Filipina entrepreneur based in Dubai, who intended to stay in Dubai for a 10day vacation. Little did she know, she would be playing a huge part in the emirate to urge residents to lead a sustainable lifestyle.

Joella started to build her career as a customer service representative and training apprentice for a US company based in the Philippines. New to the industry, she consistently topped the list of employees with the highest monthly sales.

On the sidelines, she ran a small lending business that helped her clients’ day-to-day expenses, including their kids’ school fees and medical expenses. To further extend her help to the needy ones, she joined a group that does charitable activities.

When Joella went to Dubai for a leisure trip, she did not intend to stay for an extended period of time. But, she had no choice but to accept the things to which fate binds her. After all, there’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be.

After deciding to stay in Dubai, she worked for Juma Al Majid Holding Group, one of the leading companies in the UAE, which operates across multiple industries, including automotive, heavy equipment, fast-moving consumer goods, watches, home appliances, and real estate, among others.

When she thought of considering working for other companies, she faced difficulties in processing her employment visa. She experienced exiting the country multiple times for visit visa renewal. The unfortunate times allowed her to visit Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Armenia for the purpose of visit visa exchange when she had trouble obtaining a residence visa.

Despite all the obstacles that hindered her, Joella did not give up. Through the help of a friend, she was able to overcome her visa-related problems.

Influencing people to do good

When she finally settled, the strong-willed Filipina with a heart for nature established an e-commerce business promoting a sustainable lifestyle.

“The campaign is all about influencing people to do good (and do our part) and contribute to a campaign that reduces plastic pollution in the environment,” Joella said.

Through her company, Sustainable Lifestyle Dubai, she influences people to shift from using plastic toothbrushes to bamboo toothbrushes. Spearheading the ‘1 Million Toothbrush Campaign’, she aims to reduce tons of plastic waste in the country while ensuring her products leave the lowest possible environmental footprint throughout the product lifecycle.

Additionally, the business with a purpose is committed to helping communities with poor access to oral hygiene products to prevent suffering

caused by oral disease. She aims to donate part of the proceeds for every million sold toothbrushes to charitable groups.

Doing something beyond the norm, Joella hopes that more and more individual supports this cause. She believes that, in small ways, a huge difference can be made.

“I am passionate about the fact that I can influence other people to do good or better to help the environment and the community. Many people are now supporting the campaign, and it feels good to have a small voice and be recognized by people,” she said.

While promoting a sustainable lifestyle, Joella also works as a business development specialist for a telecommunications company in Dubai.

She is currently a Master of Business Administration (MBA) candidate studying at Wrexham Glyndwr University in the United Kingdom.

“I still plan to continue my regular day job while doing my advocacy and studies,” Joella, a mother, said.

Just recently, she was among the Global Filipino Icon 2022 awardees at the recently concluded ‘The Global Filipino Icon Awards 2022’ in Dubai. Through her advocacy, she was honored for her excellence and dedication to helping the community and the environment.

“I am very honored to become one of the awardees. I feel that my co-awardees have achieved a lot in their endeavors. I hope we can all work together to achieve a common goal in helping reduce plastic waste. As a member of the Filipino community, let us work together to influence people so we can achieve anything together,” she concluded.

When he noticed that the city offers a plethora of opportunities, he decided to stay and look for a suitable job wherein he could grow professionally and personally. However, these opportunities are not for everyone, especially for him, who was new in Dubai.

Pressured, he panicked because not a single company called him even after sending hundreds of CVs.

“I persevered to apply wherever I could--be it walk-in or online. I didn’t want to go home emptyhanded. I didn’t want to be laughed at. I wanted to prove something, especially since I was not able to finish studying,” he said, adding that he was once belittled.

Three weeks after searching for a job, he accepted what was offered on the table: food runner with a lower salary than he was anticipating. He did not have a choice at that time because his tourist visa was about to end.

After a couple of months, Jacob told himself that he was more than just a restaurant runner. He wanted to improve his position, he wanted that promotion.

“So I worked harder. I learned the menu and drinks. I exerted more effort in my work,” he recalled.

From a humble food runner, he rose through the ranks of F&B. He became a junior server, and senior server until he was accepted as a junior barista for a bar. After finishing his employment contract, he continued to excel in his work until he was hired as a full-time barista with a much higher salary compared to his first employment.

With consistent hard work and determination, he was then promoted to a senior barista. Because of his dedication to work, he is now working as the head barista for Nightjar Coffee Roaster, a leading coffee shop in Dubai.

“I enjoy working here because I only work five times a week which is very uncommon in the F&B industry. Mostly, employers from the business would give employees one day per week and long hours of work timings,” he said.

Jacob said he gets to express himself more because they don’t have dress codes. His fashion sense has developed because of this.

“I like to dress, that’s why I like this environment more,” he added.

His OOTD or Outfit of the Day posts on Instagram and Facebook have caught the attention of some advertisers that showed interest in making him one of their models.

Jacob’s latest project was with a leading sports brand in the UAE. He was featured on various billboard signs across Dubai which made him even prouder as a Filipino.

The freelance model looks back at those times when people didn’t believe in him.

“I was not hurt emotionally. It actually inspired me to fight in life. I want to show them that they are wrong to belittle me,” he added.

Jacob is also grateful to one of his cousins who never left him during those trying times.

Currently, the 33year-old head barista plans to stay longer in Dubai to harness his skills as an F&B worker further. When he retires as an OFW, he wants to have his coffee shop in the Philippines and share his knowledge with his fellow Filipinos who want to be a barista.

His advice to OFWs is to persevere in life.

“There will be hard days, but they won’t last,” he added.

FILIPINO

Edward Dylan Plaza is a homebody kid who would prefer to stay at home unless he is playing sports outside. At 10, he already knows what he wants to do: to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

He likes different sports activities, including mountain biking, indoor wall climbing, and basketball. But what he loves the most is swimming, where he excels and breaks records in various local and international competitions in the UAE.

A competitive and self-motivated kid, he always has short-term goals to focus on. When he competed at a swimming gala in late 2020, Edward Dylan got only the bronze award. He told his father he needed to increase his training classes in preparation for the next meet. With passion coupled with determination, he dominated the next swimming gala and won multiple gala medals the following year.

When he was showing huge potential in swimming, his hard-working coach, Joseph, spoke with his parents to enroll him in advanced classes. His parents were hesitant at first because he was still young, but they eventually agreed with the coach.

The parents’ decision to further harness their son’s skills in swimming paved the way for him to compete in several open-water competitions where he won medals and trophies as well.

Edward Dylan takes pride in his first achievement as a professional swimmer. During the APEX Invitation Swimming Championship in Abu Dhabi in 2021, he bagged three silver medals (50m back, 100m back, and 50m fly) out of four events that he partook in. He did not stop improving from one competition to another until he dominated the

10year-old category in the UAE.

He recently won overall best swimmer for the 10year-old category, two in a row, at the Hamilton Aquatics Super Sprint, 3rd All Stars Swimming Championships, and at the APEX Emirates Cup Series Competitive Championship in November this year where he broke the UAE record for the 10year-old category on 50m freestyle.

‘The son of the sea’ who conquers

Coincidentally, his parents gave him the name ‘Dylan’, a male given name of Welsh origin meaning ‘son of the sea’ or ‘born from the ocean’. Born in March, Edward Dylan’s zodiac sign is Pisces, a symbol consisting of two fish.

When he was around four years old, his parents were already planning for him to engage in any kind of sports activity because of his lung problem. They were in and out of the hospital when he was under three years old. He was also diagnosed with pneumonia when he was just 14 days and spent almost two weeks in the hospital.

Edward Dylan’s father, Choi, was an athlete back in the day. He guided and introduced his son to different kinds of sports.

“When he was six, he started cycling, then I enrolled him in proper basketball clinics, then eventually swimming at age of 8 over the weekends. At 9, he told me that he will just focus on swimming since he learned and developed so fast,” he said.

Currently, Edward Dylan is studying year 6 at Pristine Private School.

“He always prioritizes school and completes all

his school assignments before going to school practice,” he said.

His son’s favorite subjects are Math and English.

“We always remind him that as of this time, school is always the top priority,” Choi added.

“We are very much happy and proud that he already won something at a young age, but we also don’t want to disrupt his growing experience, like playing as a normal kid hanging out with his nonswimmer friends, among others,” he said.

“Competitive sports training is very demanding and I think it is very hard for a 10year-old to understand the pressure and expectations. I believe this will be a challenge for us parents on how to manage and stabilize the process,” he further added.

Edward Dylan aims to be the first Filipino Olympic swimming medalist representing the Philippines.

Apart from swimming professionally, he also plays piano. He learned to play the organ by watching tutorial videos online.

His parents’ dream for him is to find true happiness in life. They are a hundred percent positive that their talented kid will be successful in whatever he decides to do in life.

“We are always here to support him,” his parents said.

When Em Serrano saw a job posting about a private nurse in Dubai, she did not think twice. She thought: ‘This would be a start to make my dreams come true.’

She tried her luck and saw herself with her luggage and a small bag filled with her passport, diploma, Form 138, and other essentials for traveling. It was so sudden that her parents knew her whereabouts one day before her flight to UAE.

Em, who worked as an area manager in the Philippines before, fulfilled her duties as a private nurse for a local family. When her employment contract finished, she looked for another job, but the journey was not easy.

Penniless for many months, she faced many job application rejections. She had no option but to persistently wait for the job that suited her. Because she was on a tourist visa, she had to renew it when it expired in Oman.

Unemployed for six months, she did not let her parents back home know about her status. During those trying times, she would still send her small savings to the Philippines so they wouldn’t know that she was jobless.

«I was just praying hard and keeping myself motivated. Instead of giving up, I went through all the challenges with optimism,» she said.

Eventually, she was hired as a school nurse, where she enjoys working until today.

«I enjoy dealing with kids. I also love taking care of people that’s why I chose to be a nurse,» she said, noting that it was also her dream to be a doctor, but due to financial constraints, she had to set it aside.

In 2014, she started her career as a food vlogger. Equipped with a mobile camera and mini tripod, she would jump from one restaurant to another

to feature what they offer. When she posted a food review about a local restaurant, Em started to gain followers and engagement on the image and videosharing app Instagram.

Bagging the most-coveted award for food and travel vlogger

Em was recently hailed as ‘Food/Travel Blogger of the Year’ during the Middle East Hozpitality Award 2022 at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club.

Now a top-rated food vlogger in the UAE, she said she was ‘super happy, flattered, shocked’ when her name was announced during the awarding ceremonies.

“Gusto kong maiyak sa saya. Out of hundreds nominees, down to seven finalists, ako ang nanalo,” the Filipina vlogger said. She was the only finalist from the Philippines.

“[Ito’y] isang patunay na kayang makipagsabayan ng mga Filipino sa international [arena],” she added.

Em thanks her social media followers who have supported her vlogging journey in the UAE, and her family whom she considers her inspiration.

“Sa mga kaibigan kong sumusuporta at andiyan kapag kailangan ko at hindi ako iniiwan sa ere,” she said, noting that dreams do come true.

“Totoo talaga ito. With hard work and prayers, lahat matutupad. Lahat mangyayari in God’s perfect timing,” she said.

Em has been nominated for the same category for three consecutive years now.

“It takes a little patience and it takes a lot of faith. But it’s worth the wait. Mangarap at tuparin ang pangarap,” she added.

GLOBAL FILIPINO

Currently based in New York, Clark Mantilla’s work revolves around a different schedule. As a theatre actor, he does not only express ideas and portray characters. He also loves supporting other people’s work whenever they have a show, cabaret, or anything that revolves around the art industry.

Having undergone conservatory training from the Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre at the New York Film Academy for Singing, Acting, and Dancing, Clark has been cast in New Works and is currently in a production that is part of the New York Theatre Festival Winterfest.

The 28year-old theatre actor recently took on the role of The Baker in Into The Woods at school. His previous performances include a community production of RENT as Roger, and Les Misérables as Feuilly/Ensemble, both locally produced in the Philippines.

“Being able to perform on a stage, whether to entertain or to be in another person’s shoes, has been a dream of mine ever since I graduated with by bachelor’s. I’ve always loved performing since I was a kid. It’s the one thing I am sure about my life. Never have I ever thought of anything else to do but this,” he said.

Before moving to New York to pursue a career in the performing arts, Clark performed back in the Philippines for multiple events. He was a part of a performing group called Dreamcatchers, where they did character skits on particular themes like Disney and The Greatest Showman.

When he got to New York, he did two sessions: a staged reading of new undeveloped plays and a new musical called Y2K: A Musical Cataclysmic Event. In both performances, he received relatively positive feedback.

Clark had to join hundreds--if not thousands--of auditions before landing a good role and job. It was

a struggle because it’s a mixture of getting to know people at the take and that skill you have.

“Not to mention other people who have the same skills as you do. There are so many factors leading to booking a single role/job. Every day you wake up hoping you’d get the call that you booked,” he added.

Comparing himself to others and getting rejected from booking a role are a struggle that he has come to terms with.

“There are hundreds of us hopefuls out there, and if I don’t get the job, all I have to do is to let it go and move on to the next audition. I feel like I’ve been better at accepting that rejection is part of the process. It doesn’t mean that I’m bad, it just means that I don’t fit the bill for the issue that the people at the table were trying to solve,” the optimist Filipino said.

Clark plans to build a better performance space back home in the Philippines, specifically in Cebu, as he believes that theatre and arts, in general, are not recognized in the city.

“Perhaps opening up a summer school for performing arts, producing local shows. Basically, boost the theatre and the arts in the area,” he added.

Clark also created duet-ready videos on YouTube for musical theatre and pop songs which he named ‘Clark on Stage’ and ‘Clark In Studio’, which have reached a community of 360,000 and 260,000 subscribers, respectively.

He advised his fellow Filipinos to keep on pushing until everything makes sense.

“Not everything will go according to plan, but it doesn’t mean you should stop. When one door closes, another one opens,” he concluded.

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO

The Global Filipino Magazine, the region’s fastest-growing magazine for Filipinos, has concluded another successful The Global Filipino Icon Awards this year that put the spotlight on the 12 exemplary Filipinos who made an impact in the Filipino community.

Held last Thursday, November 2022 ,10, at the Boracay Night Club in Asiana Hotel in Dubai, the night gala was well-attended by some of the most influential people in the community, including Michael Cinco, who is among the first recipient of The Global Star Icon Award 2022

Dubai-based travel agency owner Malou Prado was hailed this year’s Global Filipino Icon.

The 11 awardees were Yvonne Macatingrao, Dr. Maria Lourdes Casas, Aaron & Ahquiben Cadenas, Malou Q Prado, Mark Anthony Palabrica, Bimbo L Calitis, Veronica Jayme and Miguel Valle, Dr Harold Sosa, Salimar Salomabao, Maryam Delim, Joella Favor, and Mardolf Velez Oyson.

The two other Star Icon awardees this year were Miss Marlene Murphy and Geoffrey Salatan.

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO MAGAZINE

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO MAGAZINE

Thousands of Filipino Institute students and alumni join annual Sports Fest

Leading academic centre Filipino Institute marks its 7th anniversary in the service of Filipinos in the Middle East with an annual Sports Fest today, November 2022 ,19

Thousands of its students and alumni have gathered under the roof of Shahbab Al Ahli Sports Club in Al Nahda, Dubai, who hailed from Sharjah, Dubai, Al Ain, and Abu Dhabi.

Several sports activities, such as basketball, darts, badminton, and volleyball, including a beauty pageant for adults, teens, and kids are simultaneously being done during the one-day event.

Mr. Gabriel John Rimando, founder and president of Filipino Institute, and his wife and the vice president of the multi-national company, Mrs. Camille Joy, thanked the students for choosing Filipino Institute to further enhance their personal and professional career to uplift their status in life.

Mr. Rimando thanks his wife for being supportive through his entrepreneurial journey.

For seven years, it has already produced more than 200,000 students all across its

campuses in Sharjah, Dubai, Al Ain, and Abu Dhabi, including its branches in Qatar and Bahrain.

Green team was unstoppable during the event.

Below is the final ranking for this year’s sports fest:

Champion: Green

1st Runner-Up: Green

2nd Runner-Up: Blue

3rd Runner-Up: Pink

4th Runner-Up: Purple

5th Runner-Up: Gray

6th Runner-Up: Yellow

7th Runner-Up: Orange

8th Runner-Up: Maroon

They are soon to open another restaurant in Dubai, Bilaot.

THE GLOBAL FILIPINO MAGAZINE